Presence of Bisphenol A and Parabens in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Exploratory Study of Potential Sources of Exposure Iribarne Durán, Luz María Artacho Cordón, Francisco Peña Caballero, Manuela Molina Molina, José Manuel Jiménez Díaz, Inmaculada Vela Soria, Fernando Serrano, Laura Hurtado, José A. Fernández Cabrera, Mariana Fátima Freire, Carmen Olea Serrano, Nicolás Newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are in contact with a variety of medical products whose production might include synthetic chemicals with hormonal activity. BPA was found in three-fifths and PBs in four-fifths of tested NICU items, and ∼25% and ∼10% of extracts evidenced estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity, respectively. The highest BPA content was found in the three-way stopcock (>7.000 ng/g), followed by patterned transparent film dressing, gastro-duodenal feeding tubes, sterile gloves, single-lumen umbilical catheters, and intravenous (IV) infusion extension sets (concentrations ranged from 100 to 700 ng/g BPA). A total PB concentration (∑PBs) >100 ng/g was observed in several items, including light therapy protection glasses, patterned transparent film dressing, winged IV catheters, IV infusion extension sets, and textile tape. The highest estrogenic activity [>450 pM estradiol equivalent (E2eq)] was found in small dummy nipples, three-way stopcocks, and patterned transparent film dressing and the highest anti-androgenic activity [>5 mM procymidone equivalent units per gram (Proceq/g)] in small dummy nipples and three-way stopcocks. According to these findings, neonates might be exposed to multiple sources of BPA and PBs in NICUs via inhalation, dermal, oral, and IV/parenteral routes. There is a need to address the future health implications for these extremely vulnerable patients and to adopt precautionary preventive measures as a matter of urgency. 2020-01-09T13:47:06Z 2020-01-09T13:47:06Z 2019-11-27 info:eu-repo/semantics/article Iribarne-Durán, L. M., Artacho-Cordón, F., Peña-Caballero, M., Molina-Molina, J. M., Jiménez-Díaz, I., Vela-Soria, F., ... & Olea, N. (2019). Presence of Bisphenol A and Parabens in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Exploratory Study of Potential Sources of Exposure. Environmental health perspectives, 127(11), 117004. http://hdl.handle.net/10481/58598 10.1289/EHP5564 eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences