Harmonized human biomonitoring in European children, teenagers and adults: EU-wide exposure data of 11 chemical substance groups from the HBM4EU Aligned Studies (2014–2021)

Govarts E, Gilles L, Rodriguez Martin L, Santonen T, Apel P, Alvito P, Anastasi E, Andersen HR, Andersson AM, Andryskova L, Antignac JP, Appenzeller B, Barbone F, Barnett-Itzhaki Z, Barouki R, Berman T, Bil W, Borges T, Buekers J, Cañas-Portilla A, Covaci A, Csako Z, Den Hond E, Dvorakova D, Fabelova L, Fletcher T, Frederiksen H, Gabriel C, Ganzleben C, Göen T, Halldorsson TI, Haug LS, Horvat M, Huuskonen P, Imboden M, Jagodic Hudobivnik M, Janasik B, Janev Holcer N, Karakitsios S, Katsonouri A, Klanova J, Kokaraki V, Kold Jensen T, Koponen J, Laeremans M, Laguzzi F, Lange R, Lemke N, Lignell S, Lindroos AK, Lobo Vicente J, Luijten M, Makris KC, Mazej D, Melymuk L, Meslin M, Mol H, Montazeri P, Murawski A, Namorado S, Niemann L, Nübler S, Nunes B, Olafsdottir K, Palkovicova Murinova L, Papaioannou N, Pedraza-Diaz S, Piler P, Plichta V, Poteser M, Probst-Hensch N, Rambaud L, Rauscher-Gabernig E, Rausova K, Remy S, Riou M, Rosolen V, Rousselle C, Rüther M, Sarigiannis D, Silva MJ, Šlejkovec Z, Snoj Tratnik J, Stajnko A, Szigeti T, Tarazona JV, Thomsen C, Tkalec Ž, Tolonen H, Trnovec T, Uhl M, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Vasco E, Verheyen VJ, Viegas S, Vinggaard AM, Vogel N, Vorkamp K, Wasowicz W, Weber T, Wimmerova S, Woutersen M, Zimmermann P, Zvonar M, Koch H, Kolossa-Gehring M, Esteban López M, Castaño A, Stewart L, Sepai O, Schoeters G (2023)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Book Volume: 249

Article Number: 114119

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114119

Abstract

As one of the core elements of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) a human biomonitoring (HBM) survey was conducted in 23 countries to generate EU-wide comparable HBM data. This survey has built on existing HBM capacity in Europe by aligning national or regional HBM studies, referred to as the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. The HBM4EU Aligned Studies included a total of 10,795 participants of three age groups: (i) 3,576 children aged 6–12 years, (ii) 3,117 teenagers aged 12–18 years and (iii) 4,102 young adults aged 20–39 years. The participants were recruited between 2014 and 2021 in 11–12 countries per age group, geographically distributed across Europe. Depending on the age group, internal exposure to phthalates and the substitute DINCH, halogenated and organophosphorus flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), cadmium, bisphenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arsenic species, acrylamide, mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol (total DON)), benzophenones and selected pesticides was assessed by measuring substance specific biomarkers subjected to stringent quality control programs for chemical analysis. For substance groups analyzed in different age groups higher average exposure levels were observed in the youngest age group, i.e., phthalates/DINCH in children versus teenagers, acrylamide and pesticides in children versus adults, benzophenones in teenagers versus adults. Many biomarkers in teenagers and adults varied significantly according to educational attainment, with higher exposure levels of bisphenols, phthalates, benzophenones, PAHs and acrylamide in participants (from households) with lower educational attainment, while teenagers from households with higher educational attainment have higher exposure levels for PFASs and arsenic. In children, a social gradient was only observed for the non-specific pyrethroid metabolite 3-PBA and di-isodecyl phthalate (DiDP), with higher levels in children from households with higher educational attainment. Geographical variations were seen for all exposure biomarkers. For 15 biomarkers, the available health-based HBM guidance values were exceeded with highest exceedance rates for toxicologically relevant arsenic in teenagers (40%), 3-PBA in children (36%), and between 11 and 14% for total DON, Σ (PFOA + PFNA + PFHxS + PFOS), bisphenol S and cadmium. The infrastructure and harmonized approach succeeded in obtaining comparable European wide internal exposure data for a prioritized set of 11 chemical groups. These data serve as a reference for comparison at the global level, provide a baseline to compare the efficacy of the European Commission's chemical strategy for sustainability and will give leverage to national policy makers for the implementation of targeted measures.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) / Folkehelseinstituttet Norway (NO) Flemish Institute for Technological Research / Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO) Belgium (BE) Umweltbundesamt (UBA) Germany (DE) National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) / Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge Portugal (PT) Ministry of Health Cyprus (CY) Rigshospitalet Denmark (DK) École nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation de Nantes-Atlantique (ONIRIS) France (FR) University of Udine / Università degli Studi di Udine Italy (IT) Ruppin Academic Center / המרכז האקדמי רופין Israel (IL) Ministry of Health, State of Israel Israel (IL) Ministério da Saúde / Ministry of Health Portugal (PT) Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Institute of Health Carlos III, ISCIII) Spain (ES) Slovak Medical University (SMU) / Slovenská zdravotnícka univerzita v Bratislave Slovakia (SK) Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) / Työterveyslaitos (TTL) Finland (FI) Jožef Stefan Institute Slovenia (SI) Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) Poland (PL) Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) Croatia (HR) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Greece (GR) Masaryk University Czech Republic (CZ) Scuola Superiore Studi Pavia IUSS Italy (IT) European Environment Agency (EEA) / Det Europæiske Miljøagentur Denmark (DK) Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment / Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) Netherlands (NL) Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) / Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου Cyprus (CY) French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) France (FR) Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal) Spain (ES) Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit (AGES) Austria (AT) Medizinische Universität Wien Austria (AT) Schweizerisches Tropen- und Public Health-Institut (Swiss TPH) Switzerland (CH) New University of Lisbon / Universidade Nova de Lisboa Portugal (PT) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Italy (IT) Institut für Prävention und Arbeitsmedizin der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung, Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA) Germany (DE) University of Iceland (UI) / Háskóli Íslands Iceland (IS) Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare / Terveyden ja Hyvinvoinnin Laitos (THL) Finland (FI) Karolinska Institute Sweden (SE) National Food Administration Sweden (SE) Wageningen University & Research Netherlands (NL) Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) Germany (DE) University of Southern Denmark / Syddansk Universitet Denmark (DK) Luxembourg Institute of Health (CRP-Santé) Luxembourg (LU) Université Sorbonne Paris Cité France (FR) University of Antwerp / Universiteit Antwerpen Belgium (BE) University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT) / Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická (VŠCHT) Czech Republic (CZ) UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) United Kingdom (GB) French Institute for Public Health Surveillance / Santé publique France France (FR) I.R.C.C.S. materno infantile Burlo Garofolo Italy (IT) Umweltbundesamt Österreich Austria (AT) Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS) Luxembourg (LU) Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa (ESTeSL) Portugal (PT) Aarhus University Denmark (DK) Technical University of Denmark / Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU) Denmark (DK)

How to cite

APA:

Govarts, E., Gilles, L., Rodriguez Martin, L., Santonen, T., Apel, P., Alvito, P.,... Schoeters, G. (2023). Harmonized human biomonitoring in European children, teenagers and adults: EU-wide exposure data of 11 chemical substance groups from the HBM4EU Aligned Studies (2014–2021). International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114119

MLA:

Govarts, Eva, et al. "Harmonized human biomonitoring in European children, teenagers and adults: EU-wide exposure data of 11 chemical substance groups from the HBM4EU Aligned Studies (2014–2021)." International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 249 (2023).

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