Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: 10.3390/ijerph182412987
Title: HBM4EU Occupational Biomonitoring Study on e-Waste—Study Protocol
Authors: Scheepers, Paul T. J.
Duca, Radu Corneliu
Galea, Karen S.
Godderis, Lode
Hardy, Emilie
Akūlova, Lāsma
Knudsen, Lisbeth E.
Komarovska, Laura
Leese, Elizabeth
Matisāne, Linda
Paegle, Linda
Mārtiņsone, Inese
Seile, Anita
Louro, Henriqueta
Mahiout, Selma
Ndaw, Sophie
Poels, Katrien
Porras, Simo P.
Silva, Maria J.
Tavares, Ana Maria
Verdonck, Jelle
Viegas, Susana
Santonen, Tiina
Rīga Stradiņš University
Keywords: 3.3 Health sciences;1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database;SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Issue Date: 2-Dec-2021
Citation: Scheepers , P T J , Duca , R C , Galea , K S , Godderis , L , Hardy , E , Akūlova , L , Knudsen , L E , Komarovska , L , Leese , E , Matisāne , L , Paegle , L , Mārtiņsone , I , Seile , A , Louro , H , Mahiout , S , Ndaw , S , Poels , K , Porras , S P , Silva , M J , Tavares , A M , Verdonck , J , Viegas , S & Santonen , T 2021 , ' HBM4EU Occupational Biomonitoring Study on e-Waste—Study Protocol ' , International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , vol. 18 , no. 24 , 12987 . https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182412987
Abstract: Workers involved in the processing of electronic waste (e-waste) are potentially exposed to toxic chemicals. If exposure occurs, this may result in uptake and potential adverse health effects. Thus, exposure surveillance is an important requirement for health risk management and prevention of occupational disease. Human biomonitoring by measurement of specific biomarkers in body fluids is considered as an effective method of exposure surveillance. The aim of this study is to investigate the internal exposure of workers processing e-waste using a human biomonitoring approach, which will stimulate improved work practices and contribute to raising awareness of potential hazards. This exploratory study in occupational exposures in e-waste processing is part of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU). Here we present a study protocol using a cross sectional survey design to study worker’s exposures and compare these to the exposure of subjects preferably employed in the same company but with no known exposure to industrial recycling of e-waste. The present study protocol will be applied in six to eight European countries to ensure standardised data collection. The target population size is 300 exposed and 150 controls. Biomarkers of exposure for the following chemicals will be used: chromium, cadmium and lead in blood and urine; brominated flame retardants and polychlorobiphenyls in blood; mercury, organophosphate flame retardants and phthalates in urine, and chromium, cadmium, lead and mercury in hair. In addition, the following effect biomarkers will be studied: micronuclei, epigenetic, oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and telomere length in blood and metabolomics in urine. Occupational hygiene sampling methods (airborne and settled dust, silicon wristbands and handwipes) and contextual information will be collected to facilitate the interpretation of the biomarker results and discuss exposure mitigating interventions to further reduce exposures if needed. This study protocol can be adapted to future European-wide occupational studies
Description: Funding Information: This work has received external funding from the European Union?s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 733032 and received co-funding from the author?s organizations and/or Ministries. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182412987
ISSN: 1661-7827
Appears in Collections:Research outputs from Pure / Zinātniskās darbības rezultāti no ZDIS Pure

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