Combining chemical and biological methods for integrated environmental assessment The safety and quality of environment (living space, human and animal food,turist areas) are the growing concerns of Europe. The safety and quality of environment could not be judged only on the basis of physico-chemical analyses and measurements. Biotests are needed to elucidate the integral effects of human activities (pollution, environmental stress) in certain environment on living organisms or to demonstrate the safety and high quality status of the analysed environment. Biological techniques more applicable to environmental monitoring e.g biotest: acute toxicity chronic/reproduction, growth estrogenicity genotoxicity.

Combining chemical and biological methods for integrated environmental assessment Mixtures of known and unknown pollutants can cause toxic effects in the environment. Traditionally, analytical chemistry was the tool used to target compounds of interest and to record their occurrence in the environment. To complement chemical analysis with biological data, the development of biosensors and other biological approaches has grown steadily in recent years. Bioassays can predict possibly dangerous biological effects (e.g., toxicity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity or estrogenicity) of pollutants by determining the effect of a substance or a mixture on living organisms or their constituent parts. Biomonitoring is an essential tool for the complete implementation of new European Union Directives [e.g., the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and related environmental strategies [Directive 2000/60/EC] W ramach tematu COHIBA IETU wziął udział w opracowaniu recomendation zestawu biotestów do oceny jakości ścieków odprowadzonych do Bałtyku (WEA- Whole Effluent Assessment) oraz whole effluent toxicity limits.

Human Biomonitoring (HBM) In the framework of Action 3 of the European Environment and Health Action Plan , adopted by the European Commission on June 9 th 2004, the European Commission committed to develop in close cooperation with the Member States a coherent approach to Human Biomonitoring in Europe. Human Biomonitoring (HBM) is an effective tool to assess human exposure to environmental substances and in some cases their potential health risks. It is seen as an essential element in a strategy for environmental health impact assessment. Biomarkers may be used to assess the exposure (absorbed amount or internal dose) and effect(s) of chemicals and susceptibility of individuals, and they may be applied whether exposure has been from dietary, environmental or occupational sources.

Human biomonitoring of children Studying the health impacts of environmental exposures on children is assuming increasing importance. There is a general recognition that children are more vulnerable to such exposures by virtue of the higher doses they receive and their increased susceptibility. In our study of environmenta exposure to children population we use only a minimal invasive methods eg: urine, buccal cell. Observing human biomonitoring information over time helps researchers and policy makers: identify changes in exposure understand the link between exposure of certain chemicals and the development of disease learn more about what policies may be needed to better control exposures to certain chemicals