Human biomonitoring laboratory
Searching for environmental pollutants in the human body
Humans are surrounded by a multitude of chemical substances in their daily lives. Many can have a negative impact on their health.
The aim of human biomonitoring is to find out which substances enter the human body and to what extent. Concentrations of substances or their metabolites are measured using chemical methods. The substance concentrations are determined irrespective of the numerous routes of exposure (e.g. food, skin contact, environment).
The accredited testing laboratory at the Umweltbundesamt (Environment Agency Austria) has been operating its own human biomonitoring laboratory since 2007. It tests blood samples (plasma, whole blood), urine, fatty tissue, breast milk and hair samples for environmental pollutants at ultra-trace levels.
