APA Dictionary of Psychology

a chemical compound used to produce polycarbonate plastics, such as plastic water and baby bottles, and the epoxy resins found in the lining of food cans, water supply pipes, and other metal products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has “some concern” (on a scale of “negligible concern” to “serious concern”) about the effects of BPA exposure on the brain and behavior of fetuses, infants, and children; it is working to limit exposure and, with the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies, to evaluate further BPA’s health consequences. See also endocrine disruptor.