People & Environment
Interpreting data
The use of biomonitoring data and the way in which it can be linked to health effects and exposure is an integral part of our research programme.
The EU INTARESE project is developing a toolbox that allows the integrated evaluation of the health impact of environmental stressors. Human biomonitoring and human biomarkers play an important role in this because they are intermediaries between the measurement of external environmental factors and health effects. (www.intarese.org/ (new window)).
In order to interpret biomarker values properly, it is important to know the normal distribution of these biomarker values in the general population and the way in which individual characteristics or lifestyle can influence these values. Statistical analysis of existing biomarker datasets allow the significance of these determinants to be quantified. This international project is being led by VITO and co-financed via a CEFIC-LRI programme.
Whether or not biomarker values can be interpreted in terms of health risks depends among others on the already available toxicological and epidemiological information available on the polluting substance. A guide for interpreting biomarker values is under development (CEFIC-LRI programme).
Contact:
Greet Schoeters
Tel. + 32 14 33 51 67
Fax + 32 14 58 05 23
Mobile + 32 477 42 77 46
Send a message to Greet Schoeters
