Bisphenols are a family of synthetic organic chemicals that are generally used in the manufacture of certain polycarbonates (plastics with a very large number of uses), it is also used in the manufacture of certain epoxy resins (cans and tins), or as developers for the majority of thermal paper (cash register receipts).
There are more than twenty bisphenols, of which bisphenols A, S and F are the most widely used.
Bisphenols are denominated by the common name of the family “bisphenol” to which is joined one or more letters symbolizing the reagents employed to lead to the synthesis of the considered substance, as the bisphenol A is thus a bisphenol synthesized by reaction of the acetone (A) with the phenol.
Because of their reprotoxic character (confirmed for bisphenol A) and their potential fields of application (in particular for the manufacture of food containers) the use of some of the bisphenols (bisphenol A and bisphenol S) is regulated in France and in the EU (EC-No 1272/2008 of December 16, 2008).