Distribution and Potential Transdermal Human Intake of Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S from Thermal Receipt Papers in Korea Market

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been widely used in thermal receipt papers as a color developer; however, it has been substituted with alternative chemicals such as bisphenol S (BPS) due to the global restriction and regulations about the BPA in thermal receipt papers as a result of negative effects on human and environmental health. Little is known about the current changes of BPA or BPS in thermal receipt papers and its implication to human exposure. This study investigated the concentrations of BPA and BPS in thermal receipt papers collected from 14 business sites ( n = 18); juice bar, bakery store, wholesale marts, bank, theater, clothe store, fast-food restaurant, coffee shop, cosmetic shop, bookstore, post office, and convenience store. Among 18 samples, BPA concentrations in 13 receipt samples from 9 public facilities were in range of 1.4 µg/g in a bookstore to 10,353.3 µg/g in a theater. In case of BPS, it was detected in 8 receipt samples from 8 public facilities in range of 4182.4 µg/g in a theater (before printing) to 11,946.3 µg/g in a post office (before printing). The estimated daily intake (EDI) of BPA and BPS by dermal absorption was evaluated on the basis of average concentrations in terms of contact frequencies between general individual and occupational individual. For the general individual, the EDI of BPA and BPS ranged from 0.08 ng/d in a bookstore to 602 ng/d in a theater (after printing) and ranged from 243 ng/d in a box office (before printing) and 694 ng/d in a post office, respectively. For the occupational individual, the EDI of BPA and BPS ranged from 6.1 ng/d in a bookstore to 45,123 ng/d in a theater (after printing) and ranged from 18,228 ng/d in a box office (before printing) to 52,065 ng/d in a post office, respectively. This study shows the current changes of BPA and BPS in thermal receipt papers and emerging concerns by BPS as much as concerns by BPA that needs further investigation about adverse effects on human health.