health-related environmental monitoring

Which pollutants are people exposed to nowadays and which have diminished as a result of environmental legislation? This was one of the topics more than 300 experts from 33 countries discussed on the 2nd International Conference on Human Biomonitoring in April 2016 in Berlin. The presentations, the conference proceeding and impressions from the conference are found on the conference website.

Human biomonitoring (HBM) is a tool of health-related environmental monitoring with which populations are examined for their exposure to pollutants from the environment. The results are also intended to provide information as to whether (further) pollutant reduction measures are needed and on the effects of existing measures.

Human biomonitoring (HBM) is an important tool in environmental medicine to assess and evaluate the level of internal exposure of the general population, population groups and individuals to environmental toxins.

Chemicals, mould or noise – people are exposed every day to potentially harmful influences from the environment. In the German Environmental Survey, the Federal Environment Agency is investigating the exposure of the population to pollutants and other environmental effects such as noise. It is thereby contributing to the protection of people and the environment.