双酚A这种化学物质能诱发性早熟，导致男性生育能力下降。癌症和新陈代谢紊乱导致的肥胖等也被认为与此有关。双酚A是世界上使用最广泛的工业化合物之一，从矿泉水瓶、医疗器械到食品包装的内里，都有它的身影。
A plastics chemical linked to reduced fertility in men is in the majority of teenagers, research has found.
研究发现，大多数青少年体内都含有一种与男性生育能力下降有关的塑料化合物。
More than 80 per cent of teenagers have traces of the chemical compound in their bodies, according to the study involving 94 young people aged between 17 and 19.
根据对94名年龄在17岁至19岁的年轻人的一项研究，超过80%的青少年体内都含有这种化合物。
The chemical known as Bisphenol A can be found in in plastic containers and water bottles, till receipts, on the inside of cans and bottle tops and in plastic packaging and tubing, and has similarities to female sex hormone oestrogen.
这种化合物被称为双酚A，是一种类似于雌激素的物质。塑料容器、水瓶、打印收据、罐头内壁以及瓶盖，还有塑料包装和吸管中都含有双酚A。
Some previous research has suggested that it could be linked to decreased sperm counts and could affect the way some genes work, though the plastics industry says it is safe.
尽管塑料行业认为双酚A是安全的，但此前的一些研究表明，它可能会导致精子数量减少，并可能影响某些基因特征。
Participants in the study, students at Devon schools, tried to limit their contact with the chemical for a week through avoiding plastic packaging which contains BPA, switching to stainless steel and glass food and drink storage containers, and avoiding tinned food.
该研究的参与者都是在英国德文郡读书的学生，他们在一周的时间里尽量避免接触双酚A，不使用含双酚A的塑料包装，改用不锈钢和玻璃材质的容器盛放食物和饮品，不吃罐头食品。
The chemical has a relatively short half-life of six hours and passes out of the body quickly, but 86 per cent of students had traces in their bodies, with an average level of 1.9ng/ml, similar to levels recorded in other countries around the world.
双酚A的半衰期为6小时，相对较短，并能快速排出体外。但86%的学生体内还能检测到该化学物质，平均含量是1.9纳克/毫升，这一数字与全球其他国家记录的数据接近。
Overall they did not see a drop in their recorded levels, though some of those with the highest levels at the start of the study did experience some reduction.
总体而言，研究人员记录到的双酚A含量并没有下降，但一些研究初始体内双酚A含量最高的研究对象体内含量确实有所下降。
They also reported that it was difficult to avoid the chemical, because of unclear and inconsistent labelling and the difficulty of sourcing and identifying food which was free of it.
他们还指出，这种化学物质是很难避免的，因为对双酚A的标注不明确且不一致，也很难鉴别哪些包装材料是不含双酚A的。
Tamara Galloway, Professor of Ecotoxicology at the University of Exeter, said: "There is growing evidence that exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Measurable levels of BPA were present in the vast majority of our participants."
埃克塞特大学生态毒理学教授塔Tamara Galloway说：“越来越多的证据表明，接触内分泌干扰素可能对健康有害，绝大多数的研究对象体内都出现了含量可以检测到的双酚A。”
Lorna Harries, associate professor in molecular genetics at the University of Exeter, added: "In an ideal world, we would have a choice over what we put into our bodies.
埃克塞特大学分子遗传学副教授洛娜.哈瑞斯称：“只有在理想情况下，我们才能选择身体所摄入的物质。”
"At the present time, since it is difficult to identify which foods and packaging contain BPA, it is not possible to make that choice."
“目前，由于难以确定哪些食品和包装含有双酚A，所以要做选择是不可能的。”
The British Plastics Federation has previously called negative stories about BPA a "witch hunt" and said campaigns against the chemical are misleading.
英国塑料协会此前曾将有关双酚A的负面报道称为“政治迫害”，并表示反对这种化学品的运动具有误导性。
In response to the story Matt Davies, a spokesman, told the Sunday Times: "We support the conclusions of the European Food Safety Agency that at current exposure levels, plastics containing BPA pose no consumer health risks."
新闻发言人Matt Davies在接受《星期日泰晤士报》采访时回应说：“我们支持欧洲食品安全机构的结论，即在目前的暴露水平下，含有双酚A的塑料不会给消费者带来健康风险。”
