title: The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and human exposure to environmental chemicals.
abstract: Researchers are increasingly interested in using human biomonitoring - the measurement of chemicals, their metabolites or specific reaction products in biological specimens/body fluids - for investigating exposure to environmental chemicals. General population human biomonitoring programs are useful for investigating human exposure to environmental chemicals and an important tool for integrating environment and health. One of these programs, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted in the United States is designed to collect data on the health and nutritional status of the noninstitutionalized, civilian U.S. population. NHANES includes a physical examination, collecting a detailed medical history, and collecting biological specimens (i.e., blood and urine). These biological specimens can be used to assess exposure to environmental chemicals. NHANES human biomonitoring data can be used to establish reference ranges for selected chemicals, provide exposure data for risk assessment, and monitor exposure trends.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. Acalafat@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Antonia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Calafat
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D007854:Lead