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From science to policy : How European HBM indicators help to answer policy questions related to phthalates and DINCH exposure

Gerofke, Antje ; David, Madlen ; Schmidt, Phillipp ; Vicente, Joana Lobo ; Buekers, Jurgen ; Gilles, Liese ; Colles, Ann ; Bessems, Jos ; Bastiaensen, Michiel and Covaci, Adrian , et al. (2023) In International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 247. p.1-18
Abstract

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... (More)

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.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
DINCH, HBM4EU, Human biomonitoring (HBM), indicator, Phthalates, Science-policy uptake
in
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
volume
247
article number
114073
pages
1 - 18
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:36434900
  • scopus:85142480375
ISSN
1438-4639
DOI
10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114073
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors
id
8668b898-4982-4517-b57c-fe70c58061d7
date added to LUP
2025-02-18 17:18:14
date last changed
2025-07-09 05:13:26
@article{8668b898-4982-4517-b57c-fe70c58061d7,
  abstract     = {{<p>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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gerofke, Antje and David, Madlen and Schmidt, Phillipp and Vicente, Joana Lobo and Buekers, Jurgen and Gilles, Liese and Colles, Ann and Bessems, Jos and Bastiaensen, Michiel and Covaci, Adrian and Den Hond, Elly and Koppen, Gudrun and Laeremans, Michelle and Verheyen, Veerle J. and Černá, Milena and Klánová, Jana and Krsková, Andrea and Zvonař, Martin and Knudsen, Lisbeth E. and Koch, Holger M. and Jensen, Tina Kold and Rambaud, Loïc and Riou, Margaux and Vogel, Nina and Gabriel, Catherine and Karakitsios, Spyros and Papaioannou, Nafsika and Sarigiannis, Denis and Kakucs, Réka and Középesy, Szilvia and Rudnai, Péter and Szigeti, Tamás and Barbone, Fabio and Rosolen, Valentina and Guignard, Cedric and Gutleb, Arno C. and Sakhi, Amrit Kaur and Haug, Line Småstuen and Janasik, Beata and Ligocka, Danuta and Estokova, Milada and Fabelova, Lucia and Kolena, Branislav and Murinova, Lubica Palkovicova and Petrovicova, Ida and Richterova, Denisa and Horvat, Milena and Mazej, Darja and Tratnik, Janja Snoj and Runkel, Agneta Annika and Castaño, Argelia and Esteban-López, Marta and Pedraza-Díaz, Susana and Åkesson, Agneta and Lignell, Sanna and Vlaanderen, Jelle and Zock, Jan Paul and Schoeters, Greet and Kolossa-Gehring, Marike}},
  issn         = {{1438-4639}},
  keywords     = {{DINCH; HBM4EU; Human biomonitoring (HBM); indicator; Phthalates; Science-policy uptake}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--18}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health}},
  title        = {{From science to policy : How European HBM indicators help to answer policy questions related to phthalates and DINCH exposure}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114073}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114073}},
  volume       = {{247}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}