We predict that biomonitoring will significantly change how the public and elected officials view the environmental movement, particularly now that California and other states have approved mandates to study the concentration of a variety of chemicals present in human blood and urine. We expect that tens or hundreds of thousands of blood, urine, and other biological samples will be collected in the United States in an attempt to identify populations exposed to certain agents as a result of ingesting food, water, air, or using consumer products.

Currently, more than 300 “industrial” chemicals can be detected in blood or urine. The mere presence of these chemicals in the body, of course, does not indicate excessive exposure or a health hazard; however, considerable experience and training are required to properly characterize the medical or toxicological significance of the amounts that are now measurable. Our group has perhaps more experience than any other in the private sector at interpreting chemicals or biomarkers in various biologic media.Over the past 25 years, we have conducted dozens of studies in worker populations and in communities. We have invariably found that without a proper characterization of chemical dose, toxicology, sampling technique, and pharmacokinetics, it is extremely difficult to understand whether an increased risk is present, or whether the measured concentrations simply reflect “background” levels that may be found in any healthy population.