TY - JOUR

T1 - Coordination of chemical analyses under the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU)

T2 - Concepts, procedures and lessons learnt

AU - Vorkamp, Katrin

AU - Esteban López, Marta

AU - Gilles, Liese

AU - Göen, Thomas

AU - Govarts, Eva

AU - Hajeb, Parvaneh

AU - Katsonouri, Andromachi

AU - Knudsen, Lisbeth E.

AU - Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

AU - Lindh, Christian

AU - Nübler, Stefanie

AU - Pedraza-Díaz, Susana

AU - Santonen, Tiina

AU - Castaño, Argelia

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) ran from 2017 to 2022 with the aim of advancing and harmonizing human biomonitoring in Europe. More than 40,000 analyses were performed on human samples in different human biomonitoring studies in HBM4EU, addressing the chemical exposure of the general population, temporal developments, occupational exposure and a public health intervention on mercury in populations with high fish consumption. The analyses covered 15 priority groups of organic chemicals and metals and were carried out by a network of laboratories meeting the requirements of a comprehensive quality assurance and control system. The coordination of the chemical analyses included establishing contacts between sample owners and qualified laboratories and monitoring the progress of the chemical analyses during the analytical phase, also addressing status and consequences of Covid-19 measures. Other challenges were related to the novelty and complexity of HBM4EU, including administrative and financial matters and implementation of standardized procedures. Many individual contacts were necessary in the initial phase of HBM4EU. However, there is a potential to develop more streamlined and standardized communication and coordination in the analytical phase of a consolidated European HBM programme.

AB - The European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) ran from 2017 to 2022 with the aim of advancing and harmonizing human biomonitoring in Europe. More than 40,000 analyses were performed on human samples in different human biomonitoring studies in HBM4EU, addressing the chemical exposure of the general population, temporal developments, occupational exposure and a public health intervention on mercury in populations with high fish consumption. The analyses covered 15 priority groups of organic chemicals and metals and were carried out by a network of laboratories meeting the requirements of a comprehensive quality assurance and control system. The coordination of the chemical analyses included establishing contacts between sample owners and qualified laboratories and monitoring the progress of the chemical analyses during the analytical phase, also addressing status and consequences of Covid-19 measures. Other challenges were related to the novelty and complexity of HBM4EU, including administrative and financial matters and implementation of standardized procedures. Many individual contacts were necessary in the initial phase of HBM4EU. However, there is a potential to develop more streamlined and standardized communication and coordination in the analytical phase of a consolidated European HBM programme.

KW - Aligned Studies

KW - Analytical phase

KW - Exposure

KW - Human biomonitoring (HBM)

KW - Laboratory network

KW - Quality assurance and control (QA/QC)

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114183

DO - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114183

M3 - Review

C2 - 37148759

AN - SCOPUS:85154572128

VL - 251

JO - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

JF - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

SN - 1438-4639

M1 - 114183

ER -