A Framework for the Collection of HBM Data in Europe to Study Spatial and Time Trends of Chemical Exposure in European Citizens

Abstract

The European Joint Programme HBM4EU is the backbone for knowledge on human exposure to environmental chemicals in the EU. It will inform European and national policy makers to take science based decisions for reducing chemical exposure of EU citizens to hazardous compounds. To answer policy questions on current EU-wide exposure to a selection of 8 priority substance groups, we have developed a framework for sampling which is based on existing and planned studies. The aim is to collect human biomonitoring data that will be comparable and hence allow to calculate reference values for Europe, to get information on the regional distribution of the priority chemicals in European citizens, and to evaluate the efficacy of EU and national policies. Current exposure is defined as exposure measured in samples collected between 2014 and 2019. To obtain comparable data from existing national and regional studies of 20 countries fieldwork and sampling protocols were developed to facilitate harmonisation. Biomarker analysis will be quality assured. As the importance and effective prevention of early life exposures is widely recognised, we focus in a first phase of HBM4EU on prepuberty, puberty and reproductive age groups. As such children between 6 and 11 years, teenagers between 12 and 19 years old and young adults between 20 and 39 years of age will be included in the first survey. Data will be collected and shared through the data platform IPCHEM, hosted at the EC Joint Research Centre (Ispra, IT). The survey will be an important step towards a sustainable HBM framework in the EU. At the same time biomolecular and advanced exposure modelling research will be engrafted on this framework to better understand risks and health impact of exposure to environmental chemicals in Europe.