Measuring nutritional exposures including biomarkers

Biomarkers of xenobiotic exposures.

Direct measurement of xenobiotic (foreign) chemicals is not always feasible as an exposure assessment,--owing to rapid metabolism, sequestration into fatty tissues, or lack of suitable assay methods. Furthermore, suspect exposures often involve complex mixtures of organics. In these circumstances, indirect biomarkers of exposure can be most helpful. This paper reviews four urinary parameters th...

Measuring exposures to glycol ethers.

In 1981, NIOSH began investigating the potential reproductive health effects resulting from exposures to a class of organic solvents known generically as glycol ethers (GE). This research was begun as a result of the NIOSH criteria document development program which revealed little data available on the health effects of glycol ether exposure. Toxicologic research was begun by NIOSH and other r...

Biomarkers in nutritional epidemiology.

OBJECTIVE To illustrate biomarkers of diet that can be used to validate estimates of dietary intake in the study of gene-environment interactions in complex diseases. DESIGN Prospective cohort studies, studies of biomarkers where diet is carefully controlled. SETTING Free-living individuals, volunteers in metabolic suites. SUBJECTS Male and female human volunteers. RESULTS Recent studie...

Biomarkers of organophosphorus (OP) exposures in humans.

There are ongoing events where aircraft engine lubricant containing tricresyl phosphates (TCPs) contaminates aircraft cabins. Some individuals have experienced tremors or other neurological symptoms that may last for many months following exposures. Mass spectrometric (MS) protocols are being developed to determine the percentage of "biomarker proteins" that are modified by such exposures, spec...

Measuring Factor Exposures: Uses and Abuses