The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $425,000 grant to a pair of Illinois State University researchers studying a chemical found in many food containers and other plastics.
Biological sciences professor Rachel Bowden and post-doctoral researcher Ryan Paitz will examine the impact of bisphenol A on turtles. The work will ultimately give researchers a better understanding of the chemical's effect on humans.
The chemical, also known as BPA, is used to line food cans and harden plastic to make it shatterproof. Some are worried that it contains toxic agents harmful to health.
Bowden's earlier research involving turtles found that BPA acted much like a dose of estrogen when introduced to newly laid turtle eggs. She says it's possible the body sees it as a form of estrogen.
