A5043334966- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Ethics in Clinical Research
- Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
- Risk Perception and Management
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- demographic modeling and climate adaptation
- Environmental Policies and Emissions
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Municipal Solid Waste Management
- Dermatology and Skin Diseases
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Retinoids in leukemia and cellular processes
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Environmental and Social Impact Assessments
- Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment
- Pesticide and Herbicide Environmental Studies
- Health and Medical Studies
- Global Maternal and Child Health
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
University of Antwerp
2012-2023
Flemish Government
2022
Flemish Institute for Technological Research
2022
Hasselt University
2022
Provincial Institute for Hygiene
2022
Human biomonitoring has become a pivotal tool for supporting chemicals’ policies. It provides information on real-life human exposures and is increasingly used to prioritize chemicals of health concern evaluate the success chemical Europe launched ambitious REACH program in 2007 improve protection environment. In October 2020 EU commission published its new strategy sustainability towards toxic-free The European Parliament called upon collect data support chemical’s risk assessment...
Because of their dirt-, water- and oil-repelling properties, per- polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are frequently used in a broad variety consumer products. They have been detected human samples worldwide. In Flanders, Belgium, the Flemish Environment Health Studies (FLEHS) measured levels five PFAS biomarkers four different age groups population identified determinants variability exposure. Cord plasma or peripheric serum questionnaire data were available for 220 mother-newborn pairs...
The Flemish Environment and Health Study (FLEHS) collects information on internal exposure to a broad range of environmental chemicals in the general population Flanders, Northern region Belgium. aim is establish biomonitoring distributions for support public health policy, risk assessment management decisions. In 2017-2018, urine blood samples were collected from 428 teenagers by stratified clustered two stage randomized design. Samples analyzed biomarkers related chlorinated newer...
Abstract Background The successive FLEHS campaigns assess internal exposure to pollutants and associated early biological health effects in participants of different age groups. Materials methods Mother–newborn pairs ( N = 220 2008–2009, 18–42 years; 269 2013–2014, 18–44 years), 197 adolescents 14–15 years (2010–2011), 201 adults 20–40 (2008–2009) 205 50–65 (2014) were recruited. For the various groups subjects sets PFAS assessed. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane (PFHxS),...
Abstract Background PFAS are persistent, bioaccumulative compounds repelling water, oil and stains which widely used. There is mounting evidence linking exposure to a range of adverse health outcomes including renal, hepatic, immunotoxic, reproductive, endocrine disrupting carcinogenic effects. possibly also induce neurobehavioral developmental Within Flanders Environment Health Studies (FLEHS) internal relevant effects assessed since 2008. Results Adolescents 14–15 y (2010–2011) living in...
Exposure to air pollution and traffic noise are associated with adverse health outcomes in adolescents. Chronic endocrine stress systemic inflammation have been hypothesized underlie the effects. Simultaneous assessment of chronic epidemiological studies is lacking. The aim study was investigate biomarkers relation long-term residential exposure In Flemish adolescents (14–15 years), we determined hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a biomarker 3-cm scalp-near sections (n = 395), leucocyte...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants of public health concern. Multiple biological mechanisms have been hypothesized to contribute PAHs-associated adverse effects. Little is known about the impact PAHs on endocrine stress and inflammation in adolescence. We examined 393 Flemish adolescents (14-15 years) cross-sectionally, measured urinary concentrations hydroxylated naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene pyrene metabolites, calculated sum all metabolites....
Environmental justice research shows how socially disadvantaged groups are more exposed and vulnerable to environmental pollution. At the same time, these less represented and, thus, visible in biomedical studies. This socioeconomic participation bias is a form of injustice within practice itself.We designed, implemented evaluated targeted recruitment strategy enhance pregnant women human biomonitoring study Belgium. We focused on Turkish Moroccan descent developed setup using personal...
Human biomonitoring (HBM) monitors levels of environmental pollutants in human samples, which often is a topic concern for residents near industrially contaminated sites (ICSs). Around an ICS area Menen (Belgium), including (former) municipal waste incinerator and metal recovery plant, increasing concentrations dioxins polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were observed, causing growing among authorities. The local community succeeded convincing the responsible authorities to investigate problem...
Communicating individual human biomonitoring results to study participants has been the subject of debate for some time. This is dominated by ethical considerations from a researchers’ perspective on whether or not communicate, thereby overlooking more practice-based questions participants’ what and how communicate. We conducted small scale follow-up based eleven face-to-face interviews with mothers participating in third cycle Flemish Environment Health Study (FLEHS III 2012–2015)...
Chronic biological stress may adversely affect adolescents' physical and mental health, but insight in the personal environmental factors that determine chronic is limited. We measured 3-month cumulative hair cortisol concentration (HCC) 419 adolescents, participating Flemish Environment Health Study. Adolescents' health lifestyle characteristics, household neighborhood socio-economic status as well urbanicity were assessed potential determinants of HCC, using multiple linear regression...
Humans are generally exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through their diet. Whilst plenty of data available on commercial food products, little information exists the contribution self-cultivated food, such as home-produced eggs (HPE), dietary PFAS intake in humans. The prevalence 17 legacy emerging HPE (N = 70) from free-ranging laying hens was examined at 35 private gardens, situated within a 10 km radius fluorochemical plant Antwerp (Belgium). Potential influences...
Indicators for spatial patterns by analysing the Flemish area with detailed data across various geografical scales are collected in a report, 'Ruimterapport'-'RURA'.RURA is compilation of research results from very diverse sources, including Department Environment and Spatial Development Flanders European Planning Observation Network (Espon).In latest government report on ( 2021), an extensive chapter was dedicated to complex interactions between environmental parameters human health,...