As part of PARC, an EU-wide human biomonitoring (HBM) survey is being conducted by aligning national and regional human biomonitoring studies across Europe, building on the work previously done by the Human Biomonitoring Initiative in Europe, HBM4EU ↗. This ambitious project includes participation from 24 countries and focuses on collecting data from three age groups: children (6-11 years), teenagers (12-17 years), and adults (18-39 years). For the collection of biological samples, children will provide urine and hair samples, while teenagers and adults will provide both urine and blood samples.

The substances that researchers at PARC will study for age group are:

• Children (6-11 years): bisphenols, pesticides (pyrethroids, organophosphates, neonicotinoids), metals, mercury (hair), phthalates and phthalate alternatives including DINCH
• Teenagers (12-17 years): bisphenols, PFAS, pesticides (pyrethroids, organophosphates), arsenic species, phthalates and phthalate alternatives including DINCH
• Adults (18-39 years): bisphenols, PFAS, pesticides (pyrethroids, organophosphates, neonicotinoids, glyphosate), metals, phthalates and phthalate alternatives including DINCH

The survey aims to analyse specific groups of substances that could vary across these age groups, providing valuable insights into the exposure levels of different populations to various environmental contaminants. This structured approach helps in understanding how age influences exposure and aids in the assessment of public health interventions. Additionally, many other research questions will be addressed. For example, “we will calculate EU reference values, explore exposure determinants and sources, compare exposure to human biomonitoring guidance values (HBM-GV), look into time trends by comparing with HBM4EU data, make international comparisons outside Europe, and for a subset of studies, also explore selected exposure-effect associations," explains Liese Gilles from the Flemish Institute for Technological Research ↗ and project lead of the PARC Aligned Studies project.

“Building on the experiences from HBM4EU, our efforts to harmonise human biomonitoring in Europe continue throughout PARC. The PARC Aligned Studies are another step closer in our journey towards a sustainable human biomonitoring programme for Europe. The forthcoming results promise invaluable insights crucial for informed policymaking and safeguarding public health," highlights Gilles.  

In the first two years of PARC, a robust foundation was established for the PARC Aligned Studies, which focus on human biomonitoring. The project team outlined and documented the general criteria for these studies, as well as identified and included relevant existing human biomonitoring studies that fit these criteria. Additionally, to support these efforts, the team developed best practice guidelines for sampling and questionnaires, along with a detailed guide on sampling strategies, ensuring consistency and reliability in data collection across various locations and researchers. Moreover, they refined the selection of exposure biomarkers.  

To foster collaboration and ensure harmonisation among various partners, two major hybrid workshops were organised — one in Brussels in May 2023, and another in Paris in October 2023. These workshops allowed participants to present their country-specific HBM studies and discuss the challenges and experiences encountered in setting up and conducting these studies, thus promoting a unified approach to the research.

After two years of preparation and planning, the first national and regional human biomonitoring studies that are part of the PARC Aligned Studies have started implementing their surveys. To date, 13 out of 32 studies have submitted their ethical dossier to the competent national bioethics board. Of these, 9 have received approval, 5 have started participant recruitment, and 4 have started collecting samples and conducting interviews. All HBM studies involved are scheduled to complete their sampling campaigns by April 2026. The first interim progress report is available here.

“In February, at the Norwegian Environmental Biobank (NEB), we started a new sample collection cycle, aiming to recruit 600 triads of mothers, fathers, and children. These participants are recruited from the large Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). As these children are now aged between 14-22 years, the new samples and data will be included in the PARC GenHBM Survey for the age groups teenagers and adults,” explains Line Småstuen, principal investigator of the study.

“At NEB, she adds, we have adopted a streamlined, remote approach to sample collection. The Department of Health Data Collection and Curation here at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health ↗ (NIPH) sends SMSs to all invitees, and participants consent electronically. All participants receive sample collection kits by regular mail. Urine samples are collected by the participants at home, while blood samples are drawn by the participants’ general practitioners. Samples are mailed back to the Department of Biobanks here at NIPH where they are processed, aliquoted, and frozen. In conjunction with the sample collection, participants also complete an online questionnaire. Additionally, two brief paper questionnaires are filled out on the same day the samples are collected, ensuring a comprehensive dataset for our research. This innovative, remote methodology not only simplifies the process for participants but also enhances our ability to gather vital health data efficiently."

“At the German Environment Agency ↗ (UBA), we are currently sampling and interviewing for GerES VI, which comprises our contribution of adults for the PARC Aligned Studies,” explains Aline Murawski, deputy study lead of GerES VI at UBA. “Recruiting in the post-Covid era, especially for a population-representative random sample, posed its own challenges from which we gained plenty of experience. We are delighted to see that the newly set-up components of sampling for GerES have been successfully implemented, including blood sampling and processing in the field. Established ambient sampling and monitoring were continued and also expanded, thus yielding a highly comprehensive assessment of exposure to potentially harmful substances in the general population in Germany once again.  

“In January 2024, at the University of the Basque Country ↗ (UPV/EHU), we started a mailing campaign encouraging participants from the Basque Health Survey of 2023 (ESCAV) to also participate in PARC”, explains Alba Jimeno. “In addition to directly mailing selected participants, we have contacted media partners in regional TV to air a piece on human biomonitoring, explaining the objectives and importance of such initiatives, in hopes of sparking curiosity and a desire to participate among potential recruits. The aim is to recruit 150 adult participants for the PARC GenHBM Survey”.

“We have designed a hybrid approach to sampling. Informed consent will be collected by our team in physical format, allowing for one-on-one information sessions with participants if needed, while questionnaires will be answered online. All participants will receive sample collection kits and informed consent forms by mail. Additionally, sample donation involves our regional healthcare system. Each participant's medical reference center will perform blood extractions, while urine samples will be collected by participants at home and delivered to the health center. This approach ensures participant comfort and a streamlined process for sample collection”.

The data collected from this EU-wide HBM survey will offer valuable insights into the internal exposure levels of EU citizens to various priority chemicals, enhancing our understanding of public health impacts related to chemical exposures.