Human Biomonitoring of Environmental Chemicals

Biomonitoring involves the measurement of absorbed substances or their metabolites in human tissues and body fluids. This information is used to improve decision making by providing a measure of people’s actual exposure to toxic chemical substances, identifying which groups of people are at greater risks of exposure, evaluating success of preventive actions, and improving the emergency response of public health officials. Biomonitoring data can be used directly by communities to identify potential exposures to chemicals that threaten their locale.

Due to the acquisition of specialized instrumentation required to conduct chemical terrorism sample analysis, the State Public Health Laboratory now has the capability to conduct biomonitoring studies to provide the critical information necessary to help link exposure to a toxic substance and the development of disease in communities across the state. The State Public Health Laboratory is working with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Section for Environmental Pubic Health and other health professionals to identify these populations and possible studies. If you have a concern about an environmental chemical exposure affecting a specifically identified population, contact us for possible testing.