Human biomonitoring studies in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The areas along the rivers Rhine, Ruhr and Wupper in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, represent the largest urban and industrial agglomeration in Europe with about 10 million inhabitants. Human biomonitoring (HBM) studies have been conducted in these areas since more than 30 years, mainly designed to evaluate internal exposure to air pollutants. Recent studies were focussed on residents living near industrial sources. The contaminants studied comprise heavy metals, metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and markers of DNA exposure. Study groups were mainly children and elderly subjects. Human milk, blood, urine, teeth, hair and nails were investigated. Time trend analyses demonstrate a significant decline of exposure to many contaminants such as POPs and heavy metals. More recent studies suggest that there still is an increased internal exposure to metals, PAH and DNA damaging agents in children and women living very close to industrial sources.
Wilhelm
Michael
M
Department of Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany. wilhelm@hygiene.rub.de
Ewers
Ulrich
U
Wittsiepe
Jürgen
J
Fürst
Peter
P
Hölzer
Jürgen
J
Eberwein
Georg
G
Angerer
Jürgen
J
Marczynski
Boleslaw
B
Ranft
Ulrich
U
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D015415:Biomarkers; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D014070:Tooth / Q000737:chemistry; D014505:Urban Population
D000393:Air Pollutants; D015415:Biomarkers; D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009930:Organic Chemicals