Quality assurance and quality control for human biomonitoring data-focus on matrix reference materials

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Analytical Chemistry
• Toxicology

Background:

• Human biomonitoring (HBM) is vital for assessing human exposure to environmental pollutants and informing policy.
• Current HBM research is hindered by inconsistent data reliability and a lack of robust quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) tools.
• Gaps in available QA/QC tools present significant measurement challenges for the scientific community.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of available reference materials in human matrices for various organic contaminants and elements.
• To assess the current state of QA/QC for HBM measurement data, including laboratory performance in proficiency testing.
• To highlight areas needing improvement in HBM QA/QC practices.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on the availability of reference materials in human matrices (hair, serum, blood, plasma, urine, breast milk).
• Analysis of proficiency testing scheme data to evaluate laboratory performance in HBM measurements.
• Case study focusing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) analysis to illustrate specific QA/QC challenges.

Main Results:

• Identified gaps in reference materials for specific organic contaminants (pesticides, flame retardants, PFAS, phthalates, phenols) and elements (Hg, As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Sn) in human samples.
• Proficiency testing data indicates variability in laboratory performance, suggesting areas for improvement in HBM measurement accuracy.
• PFAS analysis exemplifies the complex QA/QC challenges encountered in HBM, particularly concerning matrix effects and low-level detection.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing the availability and characterization of reference materials is essential for improving HBM data quality.
• Strengthening laboratory performance through proficiency testing and standardized protocols is critical for reliable HBM results.
• Addressing specific analytical challenges, such as those in PFAS analysis, is necessary to advance the field of human biomonitoring.