Background
Biomonitoring is one of the most relevant methods to assess human exposure to
chemicals as it reflects the real, internal exposure regardless of the route of exposure.
At present, the analytical techniques allow determination of biomarkers at very
low levels and it is expected that the role of biomarkers in human health risk
assessment will continue to develop in the next years.
It is therefore essential that actual levels can be measured and compared with
background concentrations in the general population, using validated methods. The
concentration of most biomarkers in the general population is expected to differ from
zero but reliable quantitative data are scarce. It is also necessary to define the
normal background concentration of key biomarkers.
Objectives
- Development of information on the normal background concentration of key biomarkers within the general population.
- Publication in the scientific literature.
Scope
The requested research proposal should:
- Provide a logical approach to collect and analyse data on the concentrations of key biomarkers in the population at large.
- Address both scientific and regulatory use.
- Demonstrate, if possible, a correlation between biomarkers and environmental exposure, including consumption of natural products.
