Biomonitoringiin

Biomonitoringiin, known in English as biomonitoring, is the systematic measurement of chemicals or their metabolites in biological samples to assess environmental exposure and potential health effects. It can be conducted on humans (human biomonitoring, HBM) or on wildlife and ecosystems. In humans, common matrices include blood, urine, hair, nails, saliva, breast milk, and breath; in wildlife, feathers, tissue, or milk may be used.

Biomonitoring seeks to determine the internal dose and exposure history rather than environmental concentrations alone. Biomarkers of exposure indicate absorbed dose; biomarkers of effect reflect early biological responses; biomarkers of susceptibility reflect individual variability.

Protocols involve study design, ethical approval, standardized sampling, laboratory analysis (often LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, immunoassays), and data interpretation against reference values or hazard guidance. Results support risk assessment, regulatory decisions, epidemiological studies, and evaluation of public health interventions. It is widely used for pollutants such as heavy metals (lead, mercury), organic contaminants (PCBs, PFCs, pesticides), and solvents.

Biomonitoring complements environmental monitoring by capturing actual human or ecological body burden, accounting for exposure routes and metabolism. Strengths include temporal trend tracking and detection of low-level exposures; limitations include variability in metabolism, timing of sampling, choice of biomarkers, cost, and ethical considerations.

Examples include national human biomonitoring programs that aggregate population exposure data to inform policy. Overall, biomonitoringiin provides essential data for understanding public health risks and guiding environmental protection efforts.