Experiences from the German Environmental Survey (GerES) and the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB)

Abstract

Introduction & methods: The German health-related environmental monitoring program investigates<BR>human exposures to environmental stressors and consists of the German Environmental Survey (GerES) andthe Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB). In addition to human biomonitoring (HBM) and indoor monitoring fordifferent segments of the general population, standardized interviews performed in GerES yield reference dataon exposure influencing factors. The ESB obtains and cryo-preserves i. a. HBM samples, physiologicalparameters, and self-administered questionnaire data on exposure-relevant behaviors from adults (20-29 yrs.)on a yearly basis focusing on temporal changes. Results: Children in GerES IV spent 15 h 31 min at home (4:46in other indoor environments, 3:43 outdoors) differing by socio-economic status. Exposure models indicate thetime spent at home being less important for inhalative exposures than indoor pollutant levels. The ESBdocuments how the decreasing fraction of participants with dental amalgam (1997: 83 % vs. 2013:10 %) isassociated with decreasing urinary mercury (1997: 0.6 ìg/L vs. 2013: 0.07 ìg/L). ESB data on decreasing 24 hurine volumes (1986: 1.3 L vs. 2013: 2.0 L) allows for adjusting time trends in internal exposure. Conclusions &Outlook: GerES and ESB demonstrate how exposure factors can be generated within regularly conducted177population studies. As for all participants also pollutant monitoring data are available, individual associationsbetween exposure factors and internal exposures to various contaminants can be investigated. These analysescan also account for socio-demographic differences and time trends in exposure relevant behaviors. The furtherdevelopment of both studies includes online-questionnaires and interviews on potential sources of emerging pollutants. Acknowledgements: We thank the German Ministries for the Environment (BMUB) and Research(BMBF) for funding and the Robert Koch-Institute for good cooperation in GerES.<BR>Quelle: 24th Annual Meeting ofThe International Society of Exposure Science: Exposure Science Integration to Protect Ecological Systems,Human Well-Being, and Occupational Health; Abstrct Book ISES 2014 / International Society of Exposure Science, Cincinnati: 2014, S.176-177