Person: Schwedler, Gerda
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Schwedler
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Publication Mothers and children are related, even in exposure to chemicals present in common consumer products(2019) Koppen, Gudrun; Govarts, Eva; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Vanermen, Guido; Schwedler, GerdaBackground Phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) are detectable in the vast majority of people. Most humans are continuously exposed to these chemicals due to their presence in food or in everyday consumer products. The measurement of these compounds in family members may help to explore the impact of major lifestyle factors on exposure. Mothers and (young) children are especially interesting to study, as they mostly share considerable parts of daily life together. Materials and methods Phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) were measured in first morning void urine, collected in mother-child pairs (n=129) on the same day. The mothers (27-45y) and their children (6-11y) were recruited in the Brussels agglomeration and rural areas of Belgium in the context of the European COPHES-DEMOCOPHES human biomonitoring project. Face-to-face questionnaires gathered information on major exposure sources and lifestyle factors. Exposure determinants were assessed by multiple linear regression analysis. Results The investigated compounds were detectable in nearly all mothers (92.8-100%) and all children (95.2-100%). The range (P90 vs. P10) of differences in urinary concentrations within each age group was for most compounds around 10-20 fold, and was very high for TCS up to 35 and 350-fold in children and mothers respectively. Some participants exceeded the tolerable daily intake guidelines as far as they were available from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Overall, for BPA, the urinary concentrations were similar among both age groups. Most urinary phthalate metabolites were higher in children compared to the mothers, except for monoethyl phthalate (MEP). TCS levels were generally higher in the mothers. Despite the difference in mothers' and children's urinary concentrations, the creatinine-corrected levels were correlated for all biomarkers (Spearman rank r=0.32 to 0.66, p<0.001). Furthermore, for phthalates, similar home and lifestyle factors were associated with the urinary concentrations in both age groups: home renovation during last two years or redecoration during the last year for di-ethyl phthalate (DEP); PVC in home for di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP) and butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), and personal care products use for DiBP and DnBP. Based on questionnaire information on general food type consumption patterns, the exposure variability could not be explained. However, comparing the phthalate intake from the current study with earlier assessed Belgian food intake calculations for both ages, food in general was estimated to be the major intake source for di-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), with diminishing importance for BBzP, DiBP and DnBP. Conclusion Our results confirm, that children and their mothers, sharing diets and home environments, also share exposure in common consumer products related chemicals. By collecting morning urine levels on the same day, and using basic questionnaires, suspected exposure routes could be unraveled.Publication 2nd International Conference on Human Biomonitoring, 17-19 April 2016 in Berlin, Germany(2016) Schwedler, GerdaPublication Special issue "human biomonitoring 2016" published(2017) Schwedler, GerdaPublication A pilot study on the feasibility of European harmonized Human Biomonitoring: Strategies towards a common approach, challenges and opportunities(2015) Casteleyn, Ludwine; Dumez, Birgit; Becker, Kerstin; Den Hond, Elly; Schoeters, Greet; Castaño, Argelia; Koch, Holger Martin; Angerer, Jürgen; Esteban, Marta; Exley, Karen; Sepai, Ovnair; Bloemen, Louis; Fiddicke, Ulrike; Horvath, Milena; Knudsen, Lisbeth E.; Joas, Anke; Joas, Reinhard; Biot, Pierre; Koppen, C.; Dewolf, M.-C.; Katsonouri, Andromachi; Hadjipanayis, Adamos; Cerna, Milena; Krskova, A.; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Nielsen, Jeanette K.S.; Jensen, J.F.; Rudnai, Peter; Közepesy, S.; Mulcahy, M.F.R.; Mannion, R.; Gutleb, Arno C.; Fischer, M.E.; Ligocka, Danuta; Jakubowski, M.; Reis, M.Fátima; Namorado, S.; Lupsa, Ioana-Rodica; Schwedler, Gerda; Gurzau, Anca ElenaIn 2004theEuropeanCommissionandMemberStatesinitiatedactivitiestowardsaharmonizedap-
proach forHumanBiomonitoringsurveysthroughoutEurope.Themainobjectivewastosustainen-
vironmental healthpolicybybuildingacoherentandsustainableframeworkandbyincreasingthe
comparability ofdataacrosscountries.Apilotstudy totestcommonguidelinesforsettingupsurveys
wasconsideredakeystepinthisprocess.Throughabottom-upapproachthatincludedallstakeholders,
a jointstudyprotocolwaselaborated.
FromSeptember2011tillFebruary2012,17Europeancountriescollecteddatafrom1844mother-
child pairsintheframeofDEMOnstrationofastudytoCoordinateandPerformHumanBiomonitoring
on aEuropeanScale(DEMOCOPHES). Mercury inhairandurinarycadmiumandcotininewereselected
as biomarkersofexposurecoveredbysufficient analyticalexperience.PhthalatemetabolitesandBi-
sphenol Ainurinewereaddedtotakeintoaccountincreasingpublicandpoliticalawarenessfor
emerging typesofcontaminantsandtotestlessadvancedmarkers/markerscoveredbylessanalytical
experience.Extensiveeffortstowardschemo-analyticalcomparabilitywereincluded.
The pilotstudyshowed thatcommonapproachescanbefoundinacontextofconsiderablediffer-
ences withrespecttoexperienceandexpertize,socio-culturalbackground,economicsituationandna-
tional priorities.ItalsoevidencedthatcomparableHumanBiomonitoringresultscanbeobtainedinsuch
context.AEuropeannetworkwasbuilt,exchanging information,expertise andexperiences,andpro-
viding trainingonallaspectsofasurvey.Akeychallengewas finding therightbalancebetweenarigid
structure allowingmaximalcomparabilityanda flexibleapproachincreasingfeasibilityandcapacity
building. NextstepsinEuropeanharmonizationinHumanBiomonitoringsurveysincludetheestab-
lishment ofajointprocessforprioritizationofsubstancestocoverandbiomarkerstodevelop,linking
biomonitoring surveyswithhealthexaminationsurveysandwithresearch,andcopingwiththediverse
implementations ofEUregulationsandinternationalguidelineswithrespecttoethicsandprivacy.
©2014ElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved.Publication Environmental health surveillance in a future European health information system(2018) Joas, Anke; David, Madlen; Schöpel, Miriam; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Schwedler, GerdaBackground To date Health information (HI) in the European Union does not comprise indicators or other information related to impacts of hazardous chemicals in consumer products, food, drinking water or air on the health status of the population. Therefore, we inventorised and evaluated the potential of environmental health surveillance and research data sources in the European population to provide HBM-based indicators of internal human exposure and health impact of relevant chemicals. Methods We established an up-dated inventory of European cross-sectional Human Biomonitoring (HBM) surveys and of birth cohorts, and compared chemicals and chemical groups addressed by HBM with indicators and health end points collected via European Core Health Indicators (ECHI), in birth registries, as well as in environmental and food data bases and health registries to see on how data collection could be aligned. Finally, we investigated study designs of HBM survey and health examination surveys for potential synergies. Results The inventory covers a total of 11 European cross-sectional national programmes and a large number of birth cohorts and includes information on study population, age groups, covered substances, sampled matrices, and frequency. The comparison of data collections shows that there are many overlaps between environmental chemicals with environmental and health reporting. HBM data could be linked with ECHI indicators for work-related risks, body mass index (BMI), and low birth weight, with perinatal disease, neurologic disorders, and some chronic diseases, or with data bases for e.g. indoor air, food, or consumer products. Existing initiatives to link data collections at European Environment Agency (EEA) and Joint Research Center (JRC) or at World Health Organization (WHO) are good options to further develop linkage of HBM with exposures sources and health end points. Conclusions There is potential to use HBM based information in a number of public health policies, and this would help to align reporting to international commitments. Environmental health surveillance based on HBM and HBM-based indicators, is an excellent tool to inform public health policies about risks from environmental chemicals, and the EU health information system would benefit from additional HBM-based indicators for monitoring exposure burden from environmental chemicals. Considerable efforts are needed to align and establish routine data collections and to develop a surveillance system and indicators which may inform public health policies. © The Author(s). 2018Publication Urinary phthalate concentrations in mothers and their children in Ireland(2017) Cullen, Elizabeth; Evans, David; Griffin, Chris; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Schwedler, GerdaPublication Human biomonitoring pilot study DEMOCOPHES in Germany: Contribution to a harmonized European approach(2017) Fiddicke, Ulrike; Ißleb, Sissy; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Schwedler, Gerda; Seiwert, MargareteHuman biomonitoring (HBM) is an effective tool to assess human exposure to environmental pollutants, but comparable HBM data in Europe are lacking. In order to expedite harmonization of HBM studies on a European scale, the twin projects COPHES (Consortium to Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale) and DEMOCOPHES (Demonstration of a study to Coordinate and Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale) were formed, comprising 35 partners from 27 European countries. In COPHES a research scheme and guidelines were developed to exemplarily measure in a pilot study mercury in hair, cadmium, cotinine and several phthalate metabolites in urine of 6Ń11 year old children and their mothers in an urban and a rural region. Seventeen European countries simultaneously conducted this cross-sectional DEMOCOPHES feasibility study. The German study population was taken in the city of Bochum and in the Higher Sauerland District, comprising 120 mother-child pairs. In the present paper features of the study implementation are presented. German exposure concentrations of the pollutants are reported and compared with European average concentrations from DEMOCOPHES and with those measured in the representative German Environmental Survey (GerES IV). German DEMOCOPHES concentrations for mercury and cotinine were lower than the European average. However, 47% of the children were still exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) outside their home, which gives further potential for enhancing protection of children from ETS. Compared with samples from the other European countries German participating children had lower concentrations of the phthalate metabolites MEP and of the sum of 3 DEHP-metabolites (MEHP, 5OH-MEHP and 5oxo-MEHP), about the same concentrations of the phthalate metabolites MBzP and MiBP and higher concentrations of the phthalate metabolite MnBP. 2.5% of the German children had concentrations of the sum of 4 DEHP-metabolites and 4.2% had concentrations of MnBP that exceeded health based guidance values, indicating reasons for concern. Continuous HBM is necessary to track changes of pollutant exposure over time. Therefore Germany will continue to cooperate on the harmonisation of European human biomonitoring to support the chemicals regulation with the best possible exposure data to protect Europe's people against environmental health risks. Quelle: http://www.sciencedirect.comPublication Hexamoll® DINCH and DPHP metabolites in urine of children and adolescents in Germany. Human biomonitoring results of the German Environmental Survey GerES V, 2014-2017(2019) Conrad, André; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Rucic, Enrico; Schmied-Tobies, Maria Irene Hilde; Schulz, Christine; Schwedler, GerdaThe production and use of the plasticisers Hexamoll® DINCH (di-(iso-nonyl)-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate) and DPHP (di-(2-propylheptyl) phthalate) have increased after both chemicals were introduced into the market in the early 2000s as substitutes for restricted high molecular weight phthalates. During the population representative German Environmental Survey (GerES) of Children and Adolescents (GerES V, 2014-2017), we collected urine samples and measured the concentrations of DINCH and DPHP metabolites in 2228 and in a subsample of 516 participants, respectively. We detected DINCH and DPHP metabolites in 100% and 62% of the 3-17 years old children and adolescents, respectively. Geometric means of DINCH metabolites were 2.27 myg/L for OH-MINCH, 0.93 myg/L for oxo-MINCH, 1.14 myg/L for cx-MINCH and 3.47 myg/L for DINCH (Sigma of OH-MINCH + cx-MINCH). Geometric means of DPHP metabolites were 0.30 myg/L for OH-MPHP, 0.32 myg/L for oxo-MPHP and 0.64 myg/L for DPHP (Sigma of OH-MPHP + oxo-MPHP). The 3-5 years old children had almost 3-fold higher DINCH biomarkers levels than adolescents (14-17 years). Higher concentrations of DPHP biomarkers among young children only became apparent after creatinine adjustment. Urinary levels of DINCH but not of DPHP biomarkers were associated with the levels of the respective plasticisers in house dust. When compared to HBM health-based guidance values, we observed no exceedance of the HBM-I value of 1 mg/L for DPHP (Sigma of OH-MPHP + oxo-MPHP). However, 0.04% of the children exceeded the health based guidance value HBM-I of 3 mg/L for DINCH (Sigma of OH-MINCH + cx-MINCH). This finding shows that even a less toxic replacement of restricted chemicals can reach exposures in some individuals, at which, according to current knowledge, health impacts cannot be excluded with sufficient certainty. In conclusion, we provide representative data on DINCH and DPHP exposure of children and adolescents in Germany. Further surveillance is warranted to assess the substitution process of plasticisers, and to advise exposure reduction measures, especially for highly exposed children and adolescents. Providing the results to the European HBM Initiative HBM4EU will support risk assessment and risk management not only in Germany but also in Europe. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbHPublication Beiträge des Human-Biomonitorings zu einer evidenzbasierten Umwelt- und Gesundheitspolitik(2017) Schwedler, Gerda; Conrad, André; Rucic, Enrico; Rüther, Maria; Apel, Petra; Kolossa-Gehring, MarikePublication Die Deutsche Umweltstudie zur Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen, GerES V 2014-2017(2019) Bandow, Nicole; Conrad, André; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Murawski, Aline; Rucic, Enrico; Sawal, George; Schmied-Tobies, Maria Irene Hilde; Schwedler, GerdaDie junge Bevölkerung stand im Mittelpunkt der Deutschen Umweltstudie zur Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen, GerES V, die vom Umweltbundesamt in den Jahren 2014 bis 2017 durchgeführt wurde. Dabei wurden mittels Human-Biomonitoring Schadstoffe im Urin und Blut von 3- bis 17-jährigen Kindern und Jugendlichen untersucht, um Aussagen über die aktuelle Belastungssituation in Deutschland treffen zu können. Beispiele weiterführender Auswertungen aus GerES V werden vorgestellt: die Analyse neuer Chemikalien, die Identifizierung besonders belasteter Gruppen, der Vergleich mit vorherigen Untersuchungen, die Ermittlung von Belastungsquellen und -pfaden sowie die gesundheitliche Bewertung der Belastung. Diese Ergebnisse eignen sich als Entscheidungsgrundlage für Maßnahmen und Regelungen zum Schutz von Umwelt und Gesundheit und dienen dem Ziel, eine gesunde Zukunft der Bevölkerung zu gestalten. In: UMID : Umwelt und Mensch - Informationsdienst ; Umwelt & Gesundheit, Umweltmedizin, Verbraucherschutz / Boden- und Lufthygiene (Berlin) Institut für Wasser-. - (2019), Heft 2, Seite 7