Success Stories

One of the earliest U.S. biomonitoring studies, conducted by the CDC in the 1970s, showed that gasoline lead levels correlated closely with human blood lead levels. Based on this data, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandated that leaded gasoline be completely phased out in the U.S., and virtually all Western industrialized countries followed suit. Entire generations of U.S. children have higher IQs as a result.

Since then, the science of biomonitoring has advanced greatly. California scientists will use sophisticated gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS), liquid chromatography-MS and other state-of-the-art methods to measure residents’ exposure to chemicals present in the built environment, such as flame retardants, and chemicals used in industry, agriculture and the home.

The California Department of Toxics Substances Control will test for persistent organic chemicals and the California Department of Public Health Laboratory—under the direction of Peter Flessel, chief of the environmental health section—will test for metals and non-persistent organics. The public health laboratory will also archive samples for future research.   

The program is in its early stages and the precise focus chemicals have yet to be selected by a blue ribbon panel of experts appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger and the state legislature. Once the program moves forward, 2,000 Californians will initially contribute specimens for testing every two years, and all participants will have access to their test results.

The idea is to first establish baseline or “background” levels of select chemicals in a random, representative sample of state residents and then to focus on subgroups likely to suffer elevated exposure.

Policy makers and epidemiologists will use the data to answer a number of important questions:

• What sources of exposure are causing some groups to suffer greater chemical contamination than typical residents?
• What is the relationship between chemical exposure and disease?
• How are exposure levels changing over time? For example, are public health policies and industry regulations working to reduce exposure?

Paul Kimsey, director of the Department of Public Health Laboratory boiled down the program’s goals succinctly:  “We’re trying to get a handle on exposure-causation links.”