Talk:Biomonitoring

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Biomonitoring restructuring project[edit]

I spent a good deal of time working to improve an article that was once called Biomonitoring (chemistry) and the result is the page you see now. The article that resided in this space previously is now at Aquatic biomonitoring. This decision was arrived upon after some discussion with User:Shootbamboo. See the (full discussion here). As a note of disclosure for anyone who reviews these articles, the subject matter of this article is of interest to the American Chemistry Council (ACC), which is a client of my employer. ACC was a valuable source of academic research, however all editorial decisions are mine alone. And I look forward to continuing to improve Wikipedia's articles in this subject area. Cheers, NMS Bill (talk) 18:17, 12 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Biomonitoring's "successes"[edit]

I remember seeing a story in Science, I believe, published a few years back, that also highlights some of biomonitoring's "successes". The whole decrease in leaded gasoline leading to lower blood levels, and the documentation of that is the only one I remember. This "highlight" should be incorporated into the article. Right now only biomonitoring limitations and interpretations appear to be highlighted. -Shootbamboo (talk) 02:02, 15 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed Biomonitoring Equivalents section[edit]

Hi, I have drafted a short section dedicated to the subject of biomonitoring equivalents in the dropbox below. I have done my best to adhere to Wikipedia's content and style guidelines, but as I am a new user, and have a WP:COI, as disclosed on my user page, I am hoping other editors would be willing to review the content and provide any feedback they may have. Please also feel free to make any recommended revisions to the draft in the drop box below.

Thanks for your time! - Unbachar23 (talk) 17:22, 20 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed Biomonitoring Equivalents section draft

Scientists performing biomonitoring testing are able to detect and measure concentrations of natural and manmade chemicals in human blood and urine samples at parts-per-billion to parts-per-quadrillion levels. A 2006 U.S. National Research Council report found that while scientists were capable of detecting the chemicals at these levels, methods for interpreting and communicating what their presence meant regarding potential health risks to an individual or population were still lacking.[1] The report recommended that scientific research be done to improve the interpretation and communication of biomonitoring results through the use of existing risk assessments of specific chemicals.[1]

To address this situation, several groups recognized that exposure guidance values, such as reference dose and tolerable daily intake, could, with sufficient data, be translated into corresponding estimates of biomarker concentrations for use in the interpretation of biomonitoring data.[2][3] In 2007, the initial methodology for the systematic translation of exposure guidance values into corresponding screening values for biomonitoring data, dubbed Biomonitoring Equivalents, was published by scientists from Summit Toxicology.[4] Subsequently, an expert panel from government, industry and academia, convened to develop detailed guidelines for deriving and communicating these Biomonitoring Equivalents.[5]

Biomonitoring Equivalents can be used for evaluation of biomonitoring data in a risk assessment context. Comparing biomonitoring data for a chemical with its Biomonitoring Equivalent provides a means for assessing whether population exposures to chemicals are within or above the levels considered safe by regulatory agencies.[6] Biomonitoring Equivalents can thus assist scientists and risk managers in the prioritization of chemicals for follow-up or risk management activities.[7]

Since 2007, scientists have derived and published Biomonitoring Equivalents for more than 110 chemicals, including cadmium, benzene, chloroform, arsenic, toluene, methylene chloride, triclosan, dioxins, volatile organic compounds, and others.[8][9] Several have been developed through collaborations of scientists from EPA, CDC and Health Canada.[10] Researchers from the German Human Biomonitoring Commission[11] have also proposed a concept for deriving screening values similar to Biomonitoring Equivalents.[12]


  1. ^ a b Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology (2006). "Human Biomonitoring for Environmental Chemicals". U.S. National Research Council. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ "Reverse dosimetry: Interpreting trihalomethanes biomonitoring data using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling". Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. 17: 591–603. 2007. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Biomonitoring equivalents: A Screening Approach for Interpreting Biomonitoring Results from a Public Health Risk Perspective" (PDF). Regulatory. Toxicology and. Pharmacology. 47: 96–109. 2007. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Biomonitoring equivalents: A Screening Approach for Interpreting Biomonitoring Results from a Public Health Risk Perspective" (PDF). Regulatory. Toxicology and. Pharmacology. 47: 96–109. 2007. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Guidelines for the derivation of Biomonitoring Equivalents: report from the Biomonitoring Equivalents Expert Workshop". National Library of Medicine. 5/22/2008. Retrieved 1/20/12. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ Hogue, C. (2008). "Making Sense Of Biomonitoring - New tool for interpreting data is based on established safe doses for chemicals" (PDF). ACS Chemical & Engineering News. 86 (4): 52–56. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ "Biomonitoring equivalents: A Screening Approach for Interpreting Biomonitoring Results from a Public Health Risk Perspective" (PDF). Regulatory. Toxicology and. Pharmacology. 47: 96–109. 2007. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Human biomonitoring assessment values: approaches and data requirements". National Library of Medicine. 2011. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Monitoring and Surveillance Activities under Canada's Chemicals Management Plan". Government of Canada, Chemical Substances Division. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ^ "Guidelines for the derivation of Biomonitoring Equivalents: report from the Biomonitoring Equivalents Expert Workshop". National Library of Medicine. 5/22/2008. Retrieved 1/20/12. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  11. ^ "The German Human Biomonitoring Commission". Int J Hyg Environ Health. 210. 2007. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Monitoring and Surveillance Activities under Canada's Chemicals Management Plan". Government of Canada, Chemical Substances Division. Retrieved 1/20/2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
I have gone ahead and implemented the revisions proposed above after receiving positive feedback concerning the draft from an experienced editor on my user talk page. Recognizing that Wikipedia is a work in progress, I welcome any further feedback or suggested changes to the biomonitoring equivalents material. Thanks for your time. Unbachar23 (talk) 16:23, 27 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Revisions to interpretation section[edit]

I've drafted some updated material for the interpretation section providing additional context to the material in the current article, as reflected in the draft below. While I do not consider these revisions to be controversial, I wanted to propose them on this talk page before moving forward with the edits in case there are any suggested changes or feedback from other editors. - Unbachar23 (talk) 17:20, 28 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed draft of Interpretaion section

The presence of an environmental chemical in the body does not necessarily indicate harm.[1] The analytical chemistry of detecting chemicals has advanced more rapidly than the ability to interpret the potential health consequences.[2] Health risks are usually established from toxicity studies in laboratory animals and epidemiological evidence in humans. Lead is a well studied chemical with a CDC action level level of concern, currently at 10 µg/dL, or 100 parts per billion, in blood; however, neurobehavioral impairment has been noted below this level.[3] Because this approach requires establishment of cause and effect in epidemiological studies and a thorough understanding of human dose response, data to support these types of action levels exist for only a few environmental chemicals. The concept of Biomonitoring Equivalents (BEs) has been developed as an alternative approach to aid in interpreting and communicating biomonitoring results in the context of potential risks to health.[4]


  1. ^ "Interpreting the Data". Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Human Biomonitoring for Environmental Chemicals" (Document). National Research Council. 2008. {{cite document}}: Unknown parameter |url= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Lead (Pb) Toxicity: What Are the U.S. Standards for Lead Levels? ATSDR.
  4. ^ "Interpretation of Report Data: Important Factors". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2/28/2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
Not having received any feedback over the past several days, I've gone ahead and implemented the revisions discussed above. As always, I welcome any suggestions or thoughts on this material. Thanks! - Unbachar23 (talk) 16:44, 2 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Whole body burden in a radiological sense[edit]

Whole body burden is often used in the radiological context of a person or animal's total amount of a radioactive element. For example, Cs-137, Co-60, Iodine-131 are common environmental contaminants which can be easily absorbed by animals, plants, and humans after a radiological accident or nuclear weapon has exploded. This term needs to be discussed accordingly. In that context, the activity is used rather than the mass of the contaminant, especially because it is a lot easier to detect that way. I like to saw logs! (talk) 00:16, 29 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

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