A European human biomonitoring (HBM) survey is organized in PARC by aligning and harmonizing national HBM studies across Europe. The list of biomarkers of exposure to be measured has been finalized together with the quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedure.

The PARC Aligned Studies have been set, among others, to obtain EU-wide comparable HBM data for priority substances. The selected age groups include children (6-11 years), teenagers  (12-17 years) and adults (18-39 years). 

The list of selected biomarkers has been finalized in a stepwise process in which several factors such as the results of the prioritisation procedure, the priorities of the EU institutes and agencies, and the technical feasibilities were considered. The list includes biomarkers of bisphenols, phthalates, DINCH, other phthalate substitutes, PFAS, pesticides, metals, arsenic and cotinine. You can read the full list of biomarkers by age group here. 

The PARC QA/QC programme has aligned with the German External Quality Assessment Scheme (G-EQUAS ↗) for most biomarkers. The G-EQUAS is a proficiency test for HBM parameters initiated in 1982 and organised by IPASUM, the Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine of the Friedrich – Alexander University in Germany. The adaptation of the G-EQUAS program to PARC's needs allows us to start the programme earlier and thus, less experienced laboratories can have more time to develop their methods. The proficiency test (PT) for total mercury in hair will be organised internally in PARC, by the partner ISCIII. Information on this PT can be found here. The QA/QC scheme serves the basis of building the European network of qualified HBM laboratories within PARC.