Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank
We are daily exposed to various environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, with suspected adverse health effects, and children’s vulnerability is particularly concerning. Human biomonitoring is crucial for measuring these contaminants and essential elements in the body. The Norwegian Enviro...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Environment International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003848 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849706698675060736 |
|---|---|
| author | Mari Mohn Paulsen Nina Iszatt Amrit Kaur Sakhi Mahin Karimi Sharon Lynn Broadwell Eleni Papadopoulou Helle Margrete Meltzer Berit Granum Anne Lise Brantsæter Cathrine Thomsen Line Småstuen Haug |
| author_facet | Mari Mohn Paulsen Nina Iszatt Amrit Kaur Sakhi Mahin Karimi Sharon Lynn Broadwell Eleni Papadopoulou Helle Margrete Meltzer Berit Granum Anne Lise Brantsæter Cathrine Thomsen Line Småstuen Haug |
| author_sort | Mari Mohn Paulsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We are daily exposed to various environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, with suspected adverse health effects, and children’s vulnerability is particularly concerning. Human biomonitoring is crucial for measuring these contaminants and essential elements in the body. The Norwegian Environmental Biobank (NEB), coordinated by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, has collected biological samples (including blood and urine) and questionnaire data systematically since 2016. Identifying population subgroups at elevated risk is essential for implementing protective measures. This study aimed to describe concentrations of environmental contaminants and essential elements in Norwegian children and explored potential clustering among different contaminants. Additionally, we examined differences across groups defined by family socio-demographic factors. A total of 81 environmental contaminants were measured in urine, plasma, and whole blood from children aged 7–14 years participating in NEB. Twenty-six non-persistent and 24 persistent contaminants were quantified in ≥ 50 % of the samples, along with nine essential elements. Most children had contaminant levels below Human Biomonitoring Guidance Values (HBM-GVs). However, nearly all children had bisphenol A levels exceeding the updated tolerable daily intake set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and 30 % had blood concentrations of the four most common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exceeding EFSA’s safe limits. Statistically significant differences in contaminant levels were observed between groups defined by sociodemographic variables such as sex, age, region, and degree of urbanization. Network analysis indicated clear clusters of several contaminants. This study shows that Norwegian children are exposed to a broad range of environmental contaminants, with levels similar to those reported in other studies from Europe and globally. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d2851fb8a57f40128aebf8ef8e638b16 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj-art-d2851fb8a57f40128aebf8ef8e638b162025-08-20T03:16:07ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202025-08-0120210963310.1016/j.envint.2025.109633Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobankMari Mohn Paulsen0Nina Iszatt1Amrit Kaur Sakhi2Mahin Karimi3Sharon Lynn Broadwell4Eleni Papadopoulou5Helle Margrete Meltzer6Berit Granum7Anne Lise Brantsæter8Cathrine Thomsen9Line Småstuen Haug10Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Corresponding author at: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway.Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayGlobal Health Cluster, Division of Health Service, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayCentre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Department of Chemical Toxicology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222 Skøyen, N-0213 Oslo, NorwayWe are daily exposed to various environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, with suspected adverse health effects, and children’s vulnerability is particularly concerning. Human biomonitoring is crucial for measuring these contaminants and essential elements in the body. The Norwegian Environmental Biobank (NEB), coordinated by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, has collected biological samples (including blood and urine) and questionnaire data systematically since 2016. Identifying population subgroups at elevated risk is essential for implementing protective measures. This study aimed to describe concentrations of environmental contaminants and essential elements in Norwegian children and explored potential clustering among different contaminants. Additionally, we examined differences across groups defined by family socio-demographic factors. A total of 81 environmental contaminants were measured in urine, plasma, and whole blood from children aged 7–14 years participating in NEB. Twenty-six non-persistent and 24 persistent contaminants were quantified in ≥ 50 % of the samples, along with nine essential elements. Most children had contaminant levels below Human Biomonitoring Guidance Values (HBM-GVs). However, nearly all children had bisphenol A levels exceeding the updated tolerable daily intake set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and 30 % had blood concentrations of the four most common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exceeding EFSA’s safe limits. Statistically significant differences in contaminant levels were observed between groups defined by sociodemographic variables such as sex, age, region, and degree of urbanization. Network analysis indicated clear clusters of several contaminants. This study shows that Norwegian children are exposed to a broad range of environmental contaminants, with levels similar to those reported in other studies from Europe and globally.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003848Environmental contaminantsSociodemographic factorsHuman biomonitoring guidance valuesChemical exposomeThe Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) |
| spellingShingle | Mari Mohn Paulsen Nina Iszatt Amrit Kaur Sakhi Mahin Karimi Sharon Lynn Broadwell Eleni Papadopoulou Helle Margrete Meltzer Berit Granum Anne Lise Brantsæter Cathrine Thomsen Line Småstuen Haug Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank Environment International Environmental contaminants Sociodemographic factors Human biomonitoring guidance values Chemical exposome The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) |
| title | Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank |
| title_full | Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank |
| title_fullStr | Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank |
| title_short | Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank |
| title_sort | environmental contaminants heavy metals and essential elements in norwegian children and adolescents data from the norwegian environmental biobank |
| topic | Environmental contaminants Sociodemographic factors Human biomonitoring guidance values Chemical exposome The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003848 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marimohnpaulsen environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT ninaiszatt environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT amritkaursakhi environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT mahinkarimi environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT sharonlynnbroadwell environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT elenipapadopoulou environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT hellemargretemeltzer environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT beritgranum environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT annelisebrantsæter environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT cathrinethomsen environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank AT linesmastuenhaug environmentalcontaminantsheavymetalsandessentialelementsinnorwegianchildrenandadolescentsdatafromthenorwegianenvironmentalbiobank |