title: First steps toward harmonized human biomonitoring in Europe: demonstration project to perform human biomonitoring on a European scale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For Europe as a whole, data on internal exposure to environmental chemicals do not yet exist. Characterization of the internal individual chemical environment is expected to enhance understanding of the environmental threats to health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We developed and applied a harmonized protocol to collect comparable human biomonitoring data all over Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 17 European countries, we measured mercury in hair and cotinine, phthalate metabolites, and cadmium in urine of 1,844 children (5-11 years of age) and their mothers. Specimens were collected over a 5-month period in 2011-2012. We obtained information on personal characteristics, environment, and lifestyle. We used the resulting database to compare concentrations of exposure biomarkers within Europe, to identify determinants of exposure, and to compare exposure biomarkers with health-based guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biomarker concentrations showed a wide variability in the European population. However, levels in children and mothers were highly correlated. Most biomarker concentrations were below the health-based guidance values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have taken the first steps to assess personal chemical exposures in Europe as a whole. Key success factors were the harmonized protocol development, intensive training and capacity building for field work, chemical analysis and communication, as well as stringent quality control programs for chemical and data analysis. Our project demonstrates the feasibility of a Europe-wide human biomonitoring framework to support the decision-making process of environmental measures to protect public health.
authors.affiliation: Unit Environmental Risk and Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Elly
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authors.lastname: Den Hond
authors.forename: Eva
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authors.lastname: Govarts
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authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: Roel
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authors.lastname: Smolders
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authors.lastname: Kolossa-Gehring
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authors.lastname: Schwedler
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authors.lastname: Horvat
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authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: Gudrun
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authors.forename: Andromachi
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authors.forename: Adamos
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authors.forename: Andrea
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authors.forename: Marek
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authors.lastname: Rudnai
authors.forename: Szilvia
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authors.lastname: Kozepesy
authors.forename: Maurice
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authors.lastname: Mulcahy
authors.forename: Rory
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authors.lastname: Mannion
authors.forename: Arno C
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authors.lastname: Gutleb
authors.forename: Marc E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ligocka
authors.forename: Marek
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authors.lastname: Jakubowski
authors.forename: M Fátima
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Namorado
authors.forename: Anca Elena
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Gurzau
authors.forename: Ioana-Rodica
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Lupsa
authors.forename: Katarina
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authors.lastname: Halzlova
authors.forename: Michal
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authors.lastname: Jajcaj
authors.forename: Darja
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authors.lastname: Mazej
authors.forename: Janja Snoj
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tratnik
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Estrella
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authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berglund
authors.forename: Kristin
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authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Andrea
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authors.lastname: Lehmann
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authors.lastname: Crettaz
authors.forename: Greet
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authors.lastname: Schoeters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002104:Cadmium / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D009035:Mothers; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D002104:Cadmium; C032279:phthalic acid; D008628:Mercury; D003367:Cotinine