ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To examine bisphenol A (BPA) exposure with subjects in the manufacturing industry and to determine its correlation with metabolites according to genetic polymorphism of metabolic enzymes. METHODS: The study subjects comprised 104 workers in the manufacturing industry, 64 and 40 in the exposed and control groups, respectively. The questionnaire variablesincluded age, use of protective equipment, smoking habit and alcohol intake. Their urine samples were collected in the afternoon and urinary BPA concentration was measured by revising with the urinary creatinine concentration. The genetic polymorphism of the metabolic enzymes was examined by using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) after extracting DNA from leucocytes. RESULTS: The minimum and maximum BPA level of the exposed group during working time was 34.22 and 221.20 ng/mg, respectively. The urinary BPA concentration was significantly higher in the exposed groups than in the control group. There was no significant difference in the urinary BPA level according to genetic polymorphism of CYP1A1 and CYP2E1, but UGT1A6 showed a significant difference. In multiple regression analysis on the urinary and airborne BPA levels, UGT1A6, use of protective equipments and workplaces were significant variables. CONCLUSIONS: The urinary BPA concentration was affected by the levels to which workers were exposed during their working time and was considered to be metabolized by UGT1A6.