People are exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals in their daily lives through the environment, consumer products, food and drinking water and at work. Human biomonitoring allows the measurement of exposure to chemicals by measuring either the substances themselves, their metabolites or markers of subsequent health effects in body fluids or tissues. Human biomonitoring provides a useful tool for assessing cumulative exposure to complex mixtures of chemicals. By collecting data from a representative sample of individuals under continuous surveillance programmes, health practitioners are able to evaluate the exposure of the general population to chemicals over time. Information on human exposure can be linked to data on sources and health effects and in order to inform research on exposure-response relationships in humans.

HBM4EU is a joint effort of 28 countries, the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, co-funded under Horizon 2020. The HBM4EU initiative represents a novel collaboration between scientists and chemical risk assessors and risk managers, including several Commission services, European agencies and national representatives. The project builds bridges between the research and policy worlds and delivers benefits to society in terms of enhanced chemical safety. HHF participates in the project as a Linked Third Party.

The main aim of the initiative is to coordinate and advance human biomonitoring in Europe. HBM4EU provides better evidence of the actual exposure of citizens to chemicals and the possible health effects in order to support policy making.

The HBM4EU initiative represents a novel collaboration between scientists and chemical risk assessors and risk managers, including several Commission services, EU agencies and national representatives.

For more information visit: https://www.hbm4eu.eu/

Project Partners:

https://www.hbm4eu.eu/about-us/partners-and-linked-3rd-parties/

Funding:

The HBM4EU project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 733032.