Topic: Analysis of Environmental Contaminants for Human Biomonitoring, Environmental Health Studies, and Support to Risk Assessment

In modern societies, humans are exposed to chemicals daily. The totality of environmental chemical exposure from birth onwards is defined as the chemical exposome. Chemical exposome potentially includes thousands of chemicals given that more than 68,800 chemicals are produced or imported in Europe in more than 1 ton per annum, according to the European Chemical Agency. Some examples of chemical substances that are widely used in daily-life products include bisphenols, phthalates, parabens, (novel) brominated flame retardants, organophosphate flame retardants, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). These substances are contained in toys, water pipes, medical devices, paints, cosmetics, packaging materials, furnishings, electronics, building and construction materials and enter the human body via ingestion, inhalation and dermal absorption. Depending on their properties, some chemicals are known to cause adverse health effects such as endocrine disruption, thyroid homeostasis disruption, neurodevelopmental deficits, reproductive changes, immunotoxicity, and cancer. Even if their concentration is low, continuous exposure to chemicals may result in long-term damage to human health and favor susceptibility to diseases later in life. The chemical exposome is far from being completely understood. Studying the chemical exposome is a challenge, because it is dynamic. Thousands of new chemicals are launched every year or arrive through exports. We have no knowledge about their potential to bioaccumulate in humans and their effects.

This Special Issue aims to host articles that shed light to:
1.The occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern in humans and its environment;
2. The link between contaminants and their effects on human health;
3. The routes of exposure to contaminants in human;
4. The development of novel risk assessment schemes;
5. The application of human biomonitoring in local, national and international case studies.

All submissions MUST consider the implications for human and/or wildlife exposure to contaminants. Please see the Aims and Scope of JEEA for further guidance.

31 Aug 2023