Evaluation of Estrogenic Compounds in Virgin and Recycled Papers, a Systematic Review Publisher



Dehghani MH ; Akbari N ; Javid A ; Changani Khorasgani F ; Aslani R ; Sadighara P
Source: Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Published:2025

Abstract

One of the materials used in food packaging is paper and cardboard. Paper used in the food packaging industry is either buried as solid waste, released into the environment, or reused. Endocrine-disrupting compounds are found in paper and cardboard. One of these compounds is estrogenic or xenoestrogenic compounds, which are found in the papers based on the evidence. This systematic study was conducted to summarize the results of studies on estrogenic compounds in virgin and recycled papers. Manuscripts were searched in databases with relevant keywords without any time limit on publication. Based on the geographical distribution of the studies, most of the selected manuscripts belonged to European countries. The tests used to evaluate estrogenic compounds were both analytical methods and bioassay tests. In the bioassay tests, estrogen receptor-positive cell lines were used, and all of these tests yielded positive results. The most commonly identified compounds following the analytical method were bisphenol A(BPA) and phthalates. In most studies, the estrogenic activity of recycled paper was higher than that of virgin paper. This was due to the increased concentration of compounds such as bisphenol and phthalates after recycling. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.