TY - JOUR

T1 - From science to policy

T2 - How European HBM indicators help to answer policy questions related to phthalates and DINCH exposure

AU - Gerofke, Antje

AU - David, Madlen

AU - Schmidt, Phillipp

AU - Vicente, Joana Lobo

AU - Buekers, Jurgen

AU - Gilles, Liese

AU - Colles, Ann

AU - Bessems, Jos

AU - Bastiaensen, Michiel

AU - Covaci, Adrian

AU - Den Hond, Elly

AU - Koppen, Gudrun

AU - Laeremans, Michelle

AU - Verheyen, Veerle J.

AU - Černá, Milena

AU - Klánová, Jana

AU - Krsková, Andrea

AU - Zvonař, Martin

AU - Knudsen, Lisbeth E.

AU - Koch, Holger M.

AU - Jensen, Tina Kold

AU - Rambaud, Loïc

AU - Riou, Margaux

AU - Vogel, Nina

AU - Gabriel, Catherine

AU - Karakitsios, Spyros

AU - Papaioannou, Nafsika

AU - Sarigiannis, Denis

AU - Kakucs, Réka

AU - Középesy, Szilvia

AU - Rudnai, Péter

AU - Szigeti, Tamás

AU - Barbone, Fabio

AU - Rosolen, Valentina

AU - Guignard, Cedric

AU - Gutleb, Arno C.

AU - Sakhi, Amrit Kaur

AU - Haug, Line Småstuen

AU - Janasik, Beata

AU - Ligocka, Danuta

AU - Estokova, Milada

AU - Fabelova, Lucia

AU - Kolena, Branislav

AU - Murinova, Lubica Palkovicova

AU - Petrovicova, Ida

AU - Richterova, Denisa

AU - Horvat, Milena

AU - Mazej, Darja

AU - Tratnik, Janja Snoj

AU - Runkel, Agneta Annika

AU - Castaño, Argelia

AU - Esteban-López, Marta

AU - Pedraza-Díaz, Susana

AU - Åkesson, Agneta

AU - Lignell, Sanna

AU - Vlaanderen, Jelle

AU - Zock, Jan Paul

AU - Schoeters, Greet

AU - Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Within the European Human Biomonitoring (HBM) Initiative HBM4EU we derived HBM indicators that were designed to help answering key policy questions and support chemical policies. The result indicators convey information on chemicals exposure of different age groups, sexes, geographical regions and time points by comparing median exposure values. If differences are observed for one group or the other, policy measures or risk management options can be implemented. Impact indicators support health risk assessment by comparing exposure values with health-based guidance values, such as human biomonitoring guidance values (HBM-GVs). In general, the indicators should be designed to translate complex scientific information into short and clear messages and make it accessible to policy makers but also to a broader audience such as stakeholders (e.g. NGO's), other scientists and the general public. Based on harmonized data from the HBM4EU Aligned Studies (2014–2021), the usefulness of our indicators was demonstrated for the age group children (6–11 years), using two case examples: one phthalate (Diisobutyl phthalate: DiBP) and one non-phthalate substitute (Di-isononyl cyclohexane-1,2- dicarboxylate: DINCH). For the comparison of age groups, these were compared to data for teenagers (12–18 years), and time periods were compared using data from the DEMOCOPHES project (2011–2012). Our result indicators proved to be suitable for demonstrating the effectiveness of policy measures for DiBP and the need of continuous monitoring for DINCH. They showed similar exposure for boys and girls, indicating that there is no need for gender focused interventions and/or no indication of sex-specific exposure patterns. They created a basis for a targeted approach by highlighting relevant geographical differences in internal exposure. An adequate data basis is essential for revealing differences for all indicators. This was particularly evident in our studies on the indicators on age differences. The impact indicator revealed that health risks based on exposure to DiBP cannot be excluded. This is an indication or flag for risk managers and policy makers that exposure to DiBP still is a relevant health issue. HBM indicators derived within HBM4EU are a valuable and important complement to existing indicator lists in the context of environment and health. Their applicability, current shortcomings and solution strategies are outlined.

AB - Within the European Human Biomonitoring (HBM) Initiative HBM4EU we derived HBM indicators that were designed to help answering key policy questions and support chemical policies. The result indicators convey information on chemicals exposure of different age groups, sexes, geographical regions and time points by comparing median exposure values. If differences are observed for one group or the other, policy measures or risk management options can be implemented. Impact indicators support health risk assessment by comparing exposure values with health-based guidance values, such as human biomonitoring guidance values (HBM-GVs). In general, the indicators should be designed to translate complex scientific information into short and clear messages and make it accessible to policy makers but also to a broader audience such as stakeholders (e.g. NGO's), other scientists and the general public. Based on harmonized data from the HBM4EU Aligned Studies (2014–2021), the usefulness of our indicators was demonstrated for the age group children (6–11 years), using two case examples: one phthalate (Diisobutyl phthalate: DiBP) and one non-phthalate substitute (Di-isononyl cyclohexane-1,2- dicarboxylate: DINCH). For the comparison of age groups, these were compared to data for teenagers (12–18 years), and time periods were compared using data from the DEMOCOPHES project (2011–2012). Our result indicators proved to be suitable for demonstrating the effectiveness of policy measures for DiBP and the need of continuous monitoring for DINCH. They showed similar exposure for boys and girls, indicating that there is no need for gender focused interventions and/or no indication of sex-specific exposure patterns. They created a basis for a targeted approach by highlighting relevant geographical differences in internal exposure. An adequate data basis is essential for revealing differences for all indicators. This was particularly evident in our studies on the indicators on age differences. The impact indicator revealed that health risks based on exposure to DiBP cannot be excluded. This is an indication or flag for risk managers and policy makers that exposure to DiBP still is a relevant health issue. HBM indicators derived within HBM4EU are a valuable and important complement to existing indicator lists in the context of environment and health. Their applicability, current shortcomings and solution strategies are outlined.

KW - DINCH

KW - HBM4EU

KW - Human biomonitoring (HBM)

KW - indicator

KW - Phthalates

KW - Science-policy uptake

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114073

DO - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114073

M3 - Review

C2 - 36434900

AN - SCOPUS:85142480375

VL - 247

JO - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

JF - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

SN - 1438-4639

M1 - 114073

ER -