title: Highlights of recent studies and future plans for the French human biomonitoring (HBM) programme.
abstract: This manuscript presents highlights of recent studies and perspectives from the French human biomonitoring (HBM) programme. Until recently, HBM studies focused on specific populations or pollutants to gain a better understanding of exposure to environmental chemicals, to help regulators reduce environmental exposure and to monitor existing policies on specific concerns. Highlights of recent multicentre biomonitoring studies with specific population or pollutant focus are given. These French HBM studies have been implemented to know: (1) the influence of living near an incinerator on serum dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels, (2) the influence of consuming river fish contaminated by PCBs on serum PCBs of fishermen, and (3) the evolution of blood lead levels in children from 1 to 6 years old since 1995. Special emphasis is placed on the use of an integrated (HBM coupled with nutrition and health studies), multipollutant approach. This approach has been initiated in France with a recent national population-based biomonitoring survey, the Etude Nationale Nutrition Santé (ENNS; French Nutrition and Health Survey). This survey will provide the first reference distribution for 42 biomarkers in the French population. The current national HBM strategy will build upon the ENNS and include a national survey of people aged between 6 and 74 years complemented for the neonatal period and childhood by the Etude Longitudinale Française depuis l'Enfance (ELFE; French longitudinal study of children). France also contributes to the harmonization of HBM activities in Europe through participation in European HBM projects.
authors.affiliation: French Institute for Public Health Surveillance/Institut de Veille Sanitaire, 12 rue du Val d'Osne, 94415 Saint Maurice cedex, France. n.frery@invs.sante.fr
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fréry
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vandentorren
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Etchevers
authors.forename: Clémence
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fillol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004147:Dioxins / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005663:Furans / Q000097:blood; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D016730:Program Development; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004147:Dioxins; D005663:Furans; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D007854:Lead; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls