More than 20 years ago, acrylamide was added to the list of potential carcinogens found in many common dietary products and tobacco smoke. Consequently, human biomonitoring studies investigating exposure to acrylamide in the form of adducts in blood and metabolites in urine have been performed to obtain data on the actual burden in different populations of the world and in Europe. Recognizing the related health risk, the European Commission responded with measures to curb the acrylamide content in food products. In 2017, a trans-European human biomonitoring project (HBM4EU) was started with the aim to investigate exposure to several chemicals, including acrylamide. Here we set out to provide a combined analysis of previous and current European acrylamide biomonitoring study results by harmonizing and integrating different data sources, including HBM4EU aligned studies, with the aim to resolve overall and current time trends of acrylamide exposure in Europe. Data from 10 European countries were included in the analysis, comprising more than 5500 individual samples (3214 children and teenagers, 2293 adults). We utilized linear models as well as a non-linear fit and breakpoint analysis to investigate trends in temporal acrylamide exposure as well as descriptive statistics and statistical tests to validate findings. Our results indicate an overall increase in acrylamide exposure between the years 2001 and 2017. Studies with samples collected after 2018 focusing on adults do not indicate increasing exposure but show declining values. Regional differences appear to affect absolute values, but not the overall time-trend of exposure. As benchmark levels for acrylamide content in food have been adopted in Europe in 2018, our results may imply the effects of these measures, but only indicated for adults, as corresponding data are still missing for children. © 2022 by the authors
Acrylamide, a substance potentially carcinogenic in humans, represents a very prevalent contaminant in food and is also contained in tobacco smoke. Occupational exposure to higher concentrations of acrylamide was shown to induce neurotoxicity in humans. To minimize related risks for public health, it is vital to obtain data on the actual level of exposure in differently affected segments of the population. To achieve this aim, acrylamide has been added to the list of substances of concern to be investigated in the HBM4EU project, a European initiative to obtain biomonitoring data for a number of pollutants highly relevant for public health. This report summarizes the results obtained for acrylamide, with a focus on time-trends and recent exposure levels, obtained by HBM4EU as well as by associated studies in a total of seven European countries. Mean biomarker levels were compared by sampling year and time-trends were analyzed using linear regression models and an adequate statistical test. An increasing trend of acrylamide biomarker concentrations was found in children for the years 2014-2017, while in adults an overall increase in exposure was found to be not significant for the time period of observation (2000-2021). For smokers, represented by two studies and sampling for, over a total three years, no clear tendency was observed. In conclusion, samples from European countries indicate that average acrylamide exposure still exceeds suggested benchmark levels and may be of specific concern in children. More research is required to confirm trends of declining values observed in most recent years. © 2022 by the authors
Benzene and acrylamide are carcinogenic substances contained inter alia in tobacco smoke. The mercapturic acid metabolites of benzene, N-acetyl-S-phenyl-L-cysteine (SPMA), and of acrylamide, N-acetyl-S-(3-amino-3-oxopropyl)-cysteine (AAMA) and N-acetyl-S-(3-amino-2-hydroxy-3-oxopropyl)-cysteine (GAMA), were analysed in 2260 first-morning void urine samples from children and adolescents aged 3-17 years, participating in the population-representative German Environmental Survey on Children and Adolescents, GerES V 2014-2017. SPMA was detected in 98% of the participants with a geometric mean (GM) of 0.097 (my)g/L urine. Smokers had about 10-fold higher levels of the benzene metabolite SPMA than non-smokers. The sample comprises of 48 self-reported smokers, mainly in the oldest age group (14-17-year-olds). Second-hand smoke exposure, living near busy or very busy roads, and using domestic fuels for heating were additionally associated with higher benzene metabolite levels. SPMA levels in GerES V were lower compared to levels found in other countries, which in part however may reflect different proportions of smokers. The acrylamide metabolites AAMA and GAMA were detected in 100% of the participants with a GM of 72.6 (my)g/L urine for AAMA and 15.0 (my)g/L urine for GAMA. Smoking children and adolescents had about 2.5-fold higher AAMA levels than non-smoking ones. The frequency of consumption of french-fried potatoes and potato crisps consumption was also positively associated with urinary AAMA and GAMA levels. Compared to the urinary AAMA and GAMA levels in Germany and other countries, levels in GerES V tended to be higher than in the few studies reported. The urinary levels of the benzene biomarker SPMA, and the acrylamide biomarkers AAMA and GAMA build the basis to derive reference values for the exposure of children and adolescents in Germany. The results reveal options for exposure reduction mainly in personal choices regarding smoking and diet, but also requiring policy to maintain efforts in non-smoking regulations and improving ambient air quality. Providing these results also to the European HBM Initiative HBM4EU will contribute to gain knowledge on the exposure of the European population, the health impact of carcinogens and thus providing support for substantiated exposure assessment. © 2020 The Author(s)
As one of the core elements of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) a human biomonitoring (HBM) survey was conducted in 23 countries to generate EU-wide comparable HBM data. This survey has built on existing HBM capacity in Europe by aligning national or regional HBM studies, referred to as the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. The HBM4EU Aligned Studies included a total of 10,795 participants of three age groups: (i) 3,576 children aged 6-12 years, (ii) 3,117 teenagers aged 12-18 years and (iii) 4,102 young adults aged 20-39 years. The participants were recruited between 2014 and 2021 in 11-12 countries per age group, geographically distributed across Europe. Depending on the age group, internal exposure to phthalates and the substitute DINCH, halogenated and organophosphorus flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), cadmium, bisphenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arsenic species, acrylamide, mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol (total DON)), benzophenones and selected pesticides was assessed by measuring substance specific biomarkers subjected to stringent quality control programs for chemical analysis. For substance groups analyzed in different age groups higher average exposure levels were observed in the youngest age group, i.e., phthalates/DINCH in children versus teenagers, acrylamide and pesticides in children versus adults, benzophenones in teenagers versus adults. Many biomarkers in teenagers and adults varied significantly according to educational attainment, with higher exposure levels of bisphenols, phthalates, benzophenones, PAHs and acrylamide in participants (from households) with lower educational attainment, while teenagers from households with higher educational attainment have higher exposure levels for PFASs and arsenic. In children, a social gradient was only observed for the non-specific pyrethroid metabolite 3-PBA and di-isodecyl phthalate (DiDP), with higher levels in children from households with higher educational attainment. Geographical variations were seen for all exposure biomarkers. For 15 biomarkers, the available health-based HBM guidance values were exceeded with highest exceedance rates for toxicologically relevant arsenic in teenagers (40%), 3-PBA in children (36%), and between 11 and 14% for total DON, Summe (PFOA + PFNA + PFHxS + PFOS), bisphenol S and cadmium. The infrastructure and harmonized approach succeeded in obtaining comparable European wide internal exposure data for a prioritized set of 11 chemical groups. These data serve as a reference for comparison at the global level, provide a baseline to compare the efficacy of the European Commission's chemical strategy for sustainability and will give leverage to national policy makers for the implementation of targeted measures. © 2023 The Authors
One of the aims of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative, HBM4EU, was to provide examples of and good practices for the effective use of human biomonitoring (HBM) data in human health risk assessment (RA). The need for such information is pressing, as previous research has indicated that regulatory risk assessors generally lack knowledge and experience of the use of HBM data in RA. By recognising this gap in expertise, as well as the added value of incorporating HBM data into RA, this paper aims to support the integration of HBM into regulatory RA. Based on the work of the HBM4EU, we provide examples of different approaches to including HBM in RA and in estimations of the environmental burden of disease (EBoD), the benefits and pitfalls involved, information on the important methodological aspects to consider, and recommendations on how to overcome obstacles. The examples are derived from RAs or EBoD estimations made under the HBM4EU for the following HBM4EU priority substances: acrylamide, o-toluidine of the aniline family, aprotic solvents, arsenic, bisphenols, cadmium, diisocyanates, flame retardants, hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], lead, mercury, mixture of per-/poly-fluorinated compounds, mixture of pesticides, mixture of phthalates, mycotoxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the UV-filter benzophenone-3. Although the RA and EBoD work presented here is not intended to have direct regulatory implications, the results can be useful for raising awareness of possibly needed policy actions, as newly generated HBM data from HBM4EU on the current exposure of the EU population has been used in many RAs and EBoD estimations. © 2023 The Author(s)
A fundamental objective of the human biomonitoring for Europe initiative (HBM4EU) is to progress toward comparable and robust exposure data for a wide variety of prioritized chemicals in human samples. A programme for Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) was designed in HBM4EU with the purpose of creating a network of European laboratories providing comparable analytical data of high quality. Two approaches were chosen for two sets of prioritized chemicals with different timelines: (i) Scheme 1, where interested candidate laboratories participated in multiple rounds of proficiency tests (ii) Scheme 2, where selected expert laboratories participated in three rounds of interlaboratory comparison investigations. In both cases, the results were used to identify laboratories capable of generating consistent and comparable results for sample analysis in the frame of HBM4EU. In total, 84 laboratories from 26 countries were invited to participate in Scheme 1 that covered up to 73 biomarkers from Hexamoll® DINCH, phthalates, bisphenols, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), organophosporous flame retardants (OPFRs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), cadmium, chromium and aromatic amines. 74 of the participants were successful for at least one biomarker in Scheme 1. Scheme 2 involved 22 biomarkers and successful results were obtained by 2 expert laboratories for arsenic, 5 for acrylamide, 4 for mycotoxins, 2 for pesticides and 2 for UV-filters in skin care products. The QA/QC programme allowed the identification of major difficulties and needs in HBM analysis as well of gaining insight in the analytical capacities of European laboratories. Furthermore, it is the first step towards the establishment of a sustainable European network of HBM laboratories. © 2021 The Authors
Die Ciba Vision GmbH produziert in 63868 Großwallstadt Kontaktlinsen und Kontaktlinsenpflegemittel. Es ist geplant, am Standort in Großwallstadt eine Anlage zur radikalischen Copolymerisation von Acrylamid und Acrylsäure zu errichten und zu betreiben. Das Polymer wird durch Synthese von Acrylamid und Acrylsäure unter Verwendung von Hilfsstoffen hergestellt. Für den produktiven Betrieb wurde im Jahre 2012 eine Versuchsanlage in eine Produktionsanlage mit einer Kapazität von 1.800 Kilogramm Polymerlösung pro Jahr umgewandelt. Diese Anlage kann den steigenden Bedarf an Polymerlösung nicht mehr decken, so dass eine neue Anlage errichtet werden soll. Mit der Polymeranlage können jährlich bis zu 30.000 L Polymerlösung (als10%ige wässrige Lösung) hergestellt werden. Mit der Anlage sollen jährlich bis zu 25 Synthesen durchgeführt werden, weshalb die maximale jährliche Produktionsleistung bei 15.000 L Polymerlösung liegt. Die Polymersynthese und die anschließende Ultrafiltration erfolgen in einem geschlossenen System im wässrigen Milieu. Der gesamte Verfahrensablauf soll in einem vorhandenen Gebäude stattfinden. Es handelt sich um ein Vorhaben gemäß Nr. 4.1.8 des 1. Anhanges zur Verordnung über genehmigungsbedürftige Anlagen (4. BImSchV). Es handelt sich außerdem um eine Anlage gemäß Art. 10 der RL 2010/75/EU. Gemäß dem Gesetz über die Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung (UVPG) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 24.02.2010 (BGBl. I, S. 94), zuletzt geändert durch Artikel 22 des Gesetzes vom 13. Mai 2019 (BGBl. I S. 706), fällt die geplante Anlage unter Anlage 1 Nummer 4.2 Spalte 2 (Errichtung und Betrieb einer Anlage zur Herstellung von Stoffen oder Stoffgruppen durch chemische Umwandlung im industriellen Umfang). Für Anlagen gemäß Nummer 4.2 der Anlage 1 des UVPG ist nach § 1 Abs. 2 der Verordnung über das Genehmigungsverfahren (9. BImSchV) eine allgemeine Vorprüfung des Einzelfalls durch die zuständige Behörde durchzuführen. Die Pflicht zur Durchführung einer Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung besteht demnach nicht generell, sondern dann, wenn die Änderung nach Einschätzung der zuständigen Behörde erhebliche nachteilige Umweltauswirkungen hervorrufen kann.
Die Solenis Technologies Germany GmbH (Solenis) hat mit Datum vom 15.03.2022 bei der Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf einen Antrag auf Erteilung einer Genehmigung gemäß § 16 BImSchG zur wesentlichen Änderung der Produktionsanlage P3 (P3) sowie auf Zulassung des vorzeitigen Beginns der Errichtung nach § 8a BImSchG am Standort 47809 Krefeld, Fütingsweg 20 gestellt. Die P3 besteht aus der Quaternierungsanlage zur Herstellung von quartären Ammoniumverbindungen (Quats), der Anlage zur Herstellung von wässrigen Polymeren, Fertigprodukten des Typs „Spektrum“ und Mischprodukten und der Bioacrylamidanlage zur Herstellung von Acrylamid unter Verwendung eines Biokatalysators sowie Nebenanlagen.
Poteser, M.; Laguzzi, F.; Schettgen, T.; Vogel, N.; Weber, T.; Murawski, A.; Schmidt, P.; Ruther, M.; Kolossa-Gehring, M.; Namorado, S.; Nieuwenhuyse, A. V.; Appenzeller, B.; Dufthaksdottir, E.; Olafsdottir, K.; Haug, L. S.; Thomsen, C.; Barbone, F.; Rosolen, V.; Rambaud, L.; Riou, M.; Goen, T.; Nubler, S.; Schafer, M.; Zarrabi, K. H. A.; Gilles, L.; Martin, L. R.; Schoeters, G.; Sepai, O.; Govarts, E.; Moshammer, H. Toxics 10 (2022); online: 2 August 2022 Acrylamide, a substance potentially carcinogenic in humans, represents a very prevalent contaminant in food and is also contained in tobacco smoke. Occupational exposure to higher concentrations of acrylamide was shown to induce neurotoxicity in humans. To minimize related risks for public health, it is vital to obtain data on the actual level of exposure in differently affected segments of the population. To achieve this aim, acrylamide has been added to the list of substances of concern to be investigated in the HBM4EU project, a European initiative to obtain biomonitoring data for a number of pollutants highly relevant for public health. This report summarizes the results obtained for acrylamide, with a focus on time-trends and recent exposure levels, obtained by HBM4EU as well as by associated studies in a total of seven European countries. Mean biomarker levels were compared by sampling year and time-trends were analyzed using linear regression models and an adequate statistical test. An increasing trend of acrylamide biomarker concentrations was found in children for the years 2014-2017, while in adults an overall increase in exposure was found to be not significant for the time period of observation (2000-2021). For smokers, represented by two studies and sampling for, over a total three years, no clear tendency was observed. In conclusion, samples from European countries indicate that average acrylamide exposure still exceeds suggested benchmark levels and may be of specific concern in children. More research is required to confirm trends of declining values observed in most recent years. doi: 10.3390/toxics10080443
Europäisches Human-Biomonitoring-Projekt HBM4EU nimmt neun zusätzliche, gesundheitlich bedenkliche Substanzen in den Blick Seit gut einem Jahr läuft die mit 74 Millionen Euro ausgestattete Human-Biomonitoring-Initiative HBM4EU. Ziel ist es, einen Überblick über die Belastung der Bevölkerung in der EU mit bestimmten Substanzen zu erhalten. Nun hat das Projekt entschieden, neun weitere Substanzen genauer zu untersuchen. Dazu gehören Quecksilber, Acrylamid, Glyphosat und Fipronil. Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen werden 2021 erwartet. Während die Gesellschaft über Gesundheitsgefahren von Pflanzenschutzmitteln diskutiert, bestehen gleichzeitig große Lücken im Wissen über die tatsächliche Belastung der Bevölkerung mit vielen Chemikalien und Substanzen. HBM4EU möchte die Wissenslücke verkleinern und damit die Grundlage schaffen für wissenschaftsbasierte Politikberatung. Bislang untersucht das Projekt bereits neun Substanzen und Substanzgruppen, nun nimmt es neun weitere in den Blick: Acrylamid, Aprotische Lösungsmittel, Arsen, Diisocyanate, Blei, Quecksilber, Mycotoxine, Pestizide , UV-Filter. Diese Stoffe wurden aus verschiedenen Gründen ausgewählt. Es geht jedoch immer darum, dass sie ein potentielles Gesundheitsrisiko darstellen. UV-Filter beispielsweise, chemisch Benzophenone, stehen im Verdacht, im Körper wie ein Hormon zu wirken. Sie können mit Sonnencreme direkt auf die menschliche Haut aufgetragen werden, schützen aber auch Textilien vor dem Ausbleichen und können so durch Hautkontakt aufgenommen werden. Aprotische Lösungsmittel werden genutzt, um den pH-Wert in einer Anwendung zu regulieren. Man findet sie in zahlreichen Produkten wie in Schmiermitteln, Graffiti-Entfernern oder Farben. Einige aprotische Lösungsmittel können die Fortpflanzung schädigen und sind unter REACH als besonders bedenkliche Stoffe identifiziert. Die neun bislang untersuchten Substanzen und Substanzgruppen sind: Phthalate, Bisphenole, Cadmium, Chrom IV, PFCs, Flammschutzmittel, PAKs, Aniline, Emerging Chemicals, Gemische. Vom 24.-27.09.2018 fanden verschiedene zentrale Veranstaltungen der HBM4EU-Initiative statt sowie das zweite Jahrestreffen des gesamten Konsortiums. Im Anschluss daran findet in Wien eine große europäische Konferenz zu gesundheitlichen Auswirkungen von Umweltchemikalien im Rahmen der österreichischen EU-Ratspräsidentschaft statt, um ein dauerhaftes HBM-Programm voranzutreiben. Weitere Informationen: Human-Biomonitoring erklärt Als ein Werkzeug der gesundheitsbezogenen Umweltbeobachtung werden beim Human-Biomonitoring menschliche Körperflüssigkeiten oder -gewebe auf ihre Belastung mit Schadstoffen untersucht. Durch diese Untersuchung, angewandt an möglichst großen Gruppen der Allgemeinbevölkerung oder auch an speziellen Arbeitsplätzen, kann die innere Schadstoffbelastung der Menschen, die aus verschiedenen Quellen wie z.B. Atemluft, Nahrung oder Alltagsgegenständen stammen kann, abgeschätzt und bewertet werden. HBM4EU – in Kürze Die europäische Human-Biomonitoring-Initiative (kurz: HBM4EU) ist ein Projekt im Rahmen des Förderprogramms „Horizont 2020“ der Europäischen Kommission. Mit einem Gesamtfinanzvolumen von etwa 74 Mio. € und über 100 Partnern aus 28 Ländern (24 EU-Mitgliedstaaten, Norwegen, Island, Israel und die Schweiz) startete das vom Umweltbundesamt geleitete Projekt Anfang 2017 und läuft planmäßig bis Ende 2021. Die Hauptziele der Initiative sind, die Daten über die Belastung der Bevölkerung mit ausgewählten Substanzen zusammenzustellen und, wo nötig, zu generieren. Damit soll es leichter werden, Politik auf wissenschaftlicher Grundlage in Fragen der Chemikaliensicherheit und des Umweltschutzes zu beraten. Weitere Ziele sind die Harmonisierung der dafür notwendigen Prozesse in den Teilnehmerländern und die Entwicklung von neuen Methoden zur Erfassung von Belastungen des Menschen mit Substanzen aus der Umwelt.
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