Flemish human biomonitoring campaignFlemish human biomonitoring campaignEnvironmental healthEnvironmental health

Monitoring for action…2002-2006

Outline of the presentationOutline of the presentation

Goals of the study: G. Schoeters – VITO

Study design : L. Bruckers – University of Hasselt

Results : E. Den Hond – VITO

Further perspectives : G. Schoeters- VITO

Flanders ‘fields’Flanders ‘fields’

Flanders EU

Inhabitants/km2 (‘98) 446 116

private cars/km2 (’00) 205 52

km motorways/100 km2 (’99) 472 108

Goals Goals

Develop a surveillance program for environmental health → policy support

Identify “base line values” or “reference values” for Identify “base line values” or “reference values” for environmental pollutants in the Flemish populationenvironmental pollutants in the Flemish population

Has the area of residence an impact on the internal Has the area of residence an impact on the internal pollutant levels and potential biological effects?pollutant levels and potential biological effects?

Early signaling of environmental health risks ?Early signaling of environmental health risks ?

The causal chain: The causal chain: from exposure to effectfrom exposure to effect

air

dust

soil

water

Consumerproducts

Blood

Urine

Hair

Saliva

Exhaled breath

polluant levels in

biomarkers of exposure

Environmental monitoring

biomarkers of effects

Growth

Hormone levels

DNAdamageImmunological

markers

adverse health effects

Asthma

Fertility

Cancer

Death

changes in

Choices to be madeChoices to be made

Pollutants ? Sampling areas ? Populations? Effect parameters?

Selection of pollutants with Selection of pollutants with well known health effectswell known health effects

POPs Dioxin – like compoundsDioxin – like compounds PCB 138, 153,180PCB 138, 153,180 Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) DDE (DDT metabolite)DDE (DDT metabolite)

Heavy metals : cadmium, lead Volatile organic compounds : metabolites of benzene

(tt muconic acid) and PAHs (1-hydroxypyrene)

Study areasStudy areas

8 study areas in Flanders with typical and different environmental load:

1.1. Conurbation of AntwerpConurbation of Antwerp

2.2. Conurbation of GentConurbation of Gent IRCEL environmental monitoring IRCEL environmental monitoring

networknetwork

3.3. Seaport of Antwerp and GentSeaport of Antwerp and Gent

4.4. Rural areaRural area population density <250persons/kmpopulation density <250persons/km2,2, < 5% < 5%

industry, noindustry, no

motorways, no data in emission register, motorways, no data in emission register,

1.1. Fruit RegionFruit Region apple+fruit: > 10 ha/kmapple+fruit: > 10 ha/km22

2.2. IncineratorsIncinerators SS with smoke emission > 1.20 mg /mSS with smoke emission > 1.20 mg /m33

3.3. Olen (Non Ferro)Olen (Non Ferro) SS with lead emission > 0.9ng / mSS with lead emission > 0.9ng / m33 (> Olen) (> Olen)

4.4. Albertcanal (Petrochemica)Albertcanal (Petrochemica) SS with emision of a fictive pollutants> SS with emision of a fictive pollutants>

Eindhout Eindhout

North Sea

The Netherlands

Brussels

Representing: 3.055 km² (22% of Flanders) 65 municipalities (21% of Flanders) 1.186.165 inhabitants (20% of Flanders)

Study areasStudy areas

Selection of populationSelection of population

Flemish biomonitoring campaign 2002-20062002-2006 3 age groups3 age groups

Cancer risk

Growth & Development

Asthma & allergy

Growth & Development

Asthma & allergy

Newborns: 1200 Adolescents: 1600 (14-15y)

Adults: 1600 (50-65y)

Markers of exposure

cadmium, lead marker PCBs, pesticides, dioxine-activity

cadmium, lead marker PCBs, pesticides 1-OH pyrene, tt-muconic acid

cadmium marker PCBs, pesticides, dioxine-activity 1-OH pyrene, tt-muconic acid

Markers of effect

Biometry, TSH (heel prick), Apgar score, time to pregnancy Questionnaire: asthma & allergy Follow- up of part of children

comet test hormone balance Biometry, sexual development Questionnaire: asthma & allergy

comet test, genexpression tumour markers 8-OH dG Questionnaire: asthma & allergy

Markers of susceptibility

Questionnaire: general+ food Biochemical analyses: cholesterol, iron status cord blood

Questionnaire: general + food Biochemical analyses: cholesterol, ferritin, urinary creatinine

Questionnaire: general + food Biochemical analyses: cholesterol, ferritin, urinary creatinine

Integration of two activitiesIntegration of two activities

2 Main types of HBM activities

SURVEILLANCE SURVEILLANCE : produce information on the : produce information on the prevalence of prevalence of exposureexposure to environmental agents and the to environmental agents and the related public related public health impacthealth impact with a view to developing and evaluating with a view to developing and evaluating policies that protect health policies that protect health

RESEARCH projectsRESEARCH projects: activities that aim at improvement of : activities that aim at improvement of knowledge on causal links between environmental factors knowledge on causal links between environmental factors and health by and health by hypothesis generation and testinghypothesis generation and testing

Multidisciplinar team operating via a fieldwork Multidisciplinar team operating via a fieldwork committeecommittee

VITO

PIH

VUB

UG

KUL

UH

UA

coördination

fieldwork

toxicology

Foodintake

Health registers

Statistical analysis

. Biomonitoring

Impact assessment

http://www.milieu-en-gezondheid.be

communication

HBM a participatory processHBM a participatory processbased on transparency and based on transparency and

openess openess Approval by ethical and privacy commission Communication of individual results to the participants Communication of collective results to participants, policy makers, local authorities and large public Information network including MMKs BIOMONITOR newsletters Web site http://www.milieu-en-gezondheid.be