Biomonitoring: Frequently Asked Questions

Biomonitoring: Frequently Asked Questions

What is biomonitoring?

Human exposure to environmental chemicals can occur from multiple sources, such as air, water, soil, food and consumer products. Biomonitoring is the assessment of individual and population exposures to environmental contaminants by measuring the concentration of chemical and/or their metabolites in human specimens, such as blood, urine, hair, or saliva.

Who is conducting biomonitoring research in New Jersey?

NJ Biomonitoring projects are being conducted by the NJ Department of Health (NJDOH), Environmental and Chemical Laboratory Services (ECLS). Collaborative efforts between chemists, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, medical doctors, toxicologists, and stakeholders ensure that individual biomonitoring project is completed and/or being conducted with the utmost accuracy, scientific integrity, and confidentiality.

Why is biomonitoring important?

Biomonitoring tells us if an individual or population is over-exposed to toxic chemicals. Unusually high levels of chemicals in human body may indicate that a person’s home, workplace, or community is contaminated with those substances. Biomonitoring identifies and quantifies those harmful chemicals in the human body to provide scientific evidence of the degree of exposure to a particular product or chemical. This information, when combined with subsequent trend analysis, improves our understanding of the relationship between exposure to environmental chemicals and their impact on health.

Which chemicals are biomonitored in New Jersey?

Currently there are 61 chemicals being monitored within the state of New Jersey. Through the current biomonitoring grant in 2019-2024, the monitored number of chemicals will be expanded into 131. Detailed list can be found below.

Analyte Group

Matrix

Analytes

Abbreviation

CAS #

Molecular Weight

Molecular Formula

Metals (5/3*)

Blood

Cadmium

Cd

7440-43-9

112.41

Cd

   

Lead

Pb

7439-92-1

207.2

Pb

   

Mercury

Hg

7439-97-6

200.59

Hg

   

Manganese

Mn

7439-96-5

54.94

Mn

   

Selenium

Se

7782-49-2

78.96

Se

   

Inorganic Mercury

Hg(II)

14302-87-5

200.59

Hg2+

   

Methyl Mercury

MeHg

22967-92-6

215.63

CH3Hg+

   

Ethyl Mercury

EtHg

21687-36-5

229.65

C2H5Hg+

Metals (7/1/7*)

Urine

Arsenic

As

7440-38-2

74.92

As

   

Barium

Ba

7440-39-3

137.33

Ba

   

Beryllium

Be

7440-41-7

9.01

Be

   

Cadmium

Cd

7440-43-9

112.41

Cd

   

Lead

Pb

7439-92-1

207.2

Pb

 

 

Mercury

Hg

7439-97-6

200.59

Hg

   

Thallium

Tl

7440-28-0

204.38

Tl

   

Uranium

U

7440-61-1

238.03

U

   

Arsenobetaine

AB

64436-13-1

178.06

C5H11AsO2

   

Arsenocholine

AC

39895-81-3

165.09

C5H14AsO+

   

Monomethylarsonic Acid

MMA

124-58-3

139.97

CH5AsO3

   

Dimethylarsinic Acid

DMA

15132-04-4

138

C2H7AsO2

   

Trimethylarsine Oxide

TMAO

4964-14-1

136.03

C3H9AsO

   

Arsenous (III) Acid

As(III)

15502-74-6

125.94

AsH3O3

   

Arsenic (V) Acid

As(VI)

15584-04-0

141.94

AsH3O4

PFAS (12)

Serum

2-(N-methyl-PFOSA) acetic acid

Me-PFOSA-AcOH

2355-31-9

571.21

C11H6F17NO4S

   

Perfluorodecanoic acid

PFDA

335-76-2

514.08

C10HF19O2

   

Perfluorododecanoic acid

PFDoA

307-55-1

614.09

C12HF23O2

   

Perfluorohexane sulfonoic acid

PFHxS

355-46-4

400.12

C6HF13O3S

   

Perfluorononanoic acid

PFNA

375-95-1

464.07

C9HF17O2

   

Perfluorooctanoic acid

PFOA

335-67-1

414.06

C8HF15O2

   

Perfluorooctane sulfonoic acid

PFOS

1763-23-1

500.13

C8HF17O3S

   

Perfluoroundecanoic acid

PFUnA

2058-94-8

564.09

C11HF21O2

   

Perfluoro-2-proproxypropanoic acid

GenX

13252-13-6

330.05

C6HF11O3

   

4,8-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid

ADONA

919005-14-4

378.07

C7H2F12O4

   

9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid

9Cl-PF3ONS

756426-58-1

532

C8F16ClO4S

   

Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid

PFHpS

375-92-8

450.12

C7HF15O3S

PCBs (40)

Serum

2,2',5-trichlorobiphenyl

PCB18

37680-65-2

257.54

C12H7Cl3

   

2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl

PCB28

7012-37-5

257.54

C12H7Cl3

   

2,3',3,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl

PCB44

41464-39-5

291.98

C12H6Cl4

   

2,2',4,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl

PCB49

41464-40-8

291.98

C12H6Cl4

   

2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl

PCB52

35693-99-3

291.98

C12H6Cl4

   

2,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl

PCB66

32598-10-0

291.98

C12H6Cl4

   

2,4,4',5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl

PCB74

32690-93-0

291.98

C12H6Cl4

   

2,2',3,4,5'-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB87

38380-02-8

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,2',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB99

38380-01-7

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,2',4,5,5'-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB101

37680-73-2

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB105

32598-14-4

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,3,3',4',6'-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB110

38380-03-9

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,3,4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB114

74472-37-0

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB118

31508-00-6

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,3',4,4',5'-pentachlorobiphenyl

PCB123

65510-44-3

326.42

C12H5Cl5

   

2,2',3,3',4,4'-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB128

38380-07-3

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,2',3,4,4',5-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB138

35065-28-2

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,3,3',4,4',6-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB158

74472-42-7

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,2',3,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB146

51908-16-8

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,2',3,4',5',6-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB149

38380-04-0

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,2',3,5,5',6-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB151

52663-63-5

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,2',4,4',5,5-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB153

35065-27-1

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,3,3,4,4',5-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB156

38380-08-4

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,3,3',4,4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB157

69782-90-7

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl

PCB167

52663-72-6

360.86

C12H4Cl6

   

2,2',3,3',4,4',5-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB170

35065-30-6

395.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,2',3,3',4,5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB172

52663-74-8

396.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,2',3,3',4,5',6'-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB177

52663-70-4

397.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,2',3,3',5,5',6-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB178

52663-67-9

398.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,2',3,4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB180

35065-29-3

399.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,2',3,4,4',5',6-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB183

52663-69-1

400.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,2',3,4',5,5',6-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB187

52663-68-0

401.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,3,3',4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl

PCB189

39635-31-9

402.31

C12H3Cl7

   

2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5'-octachlorobiphenyl

PCB194

35694-08-7

429.75

C12H2Cl8

   

2,2',3,3',4,4',5,6-octachlorobiphenyl

PCB195

52663-78-2

430.75

C12H2Cl8

   

2,2',3,3',4,4',5,6'-octachlorobiphenyl

PCB196

42740-50-1

431.75

C12H2Cl8

   

2,2',3,4,4',5,5',6-octachlorobiphenyl

PCB203

52663-76-0

432.75

C12H2Cl8

   

2,2',3,3',4,5,5',6'-octachlorobiphenyl

PCB199

52663-75-9

433.75

C12H2Cl8

   

2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6-nonachlorobiphenyl

PCB206

40186-72-9

464.19

C12HCl9

   

2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-decachlorobiphenyl

PCB209

2051-24-3

498.63

C12Cl10

PBDEs (12)

Serum

2,2',4-tribromodiphenyl ether

PBDE17

147217-75-2

406.9

C12H7Br3O

   

2,4,4'-tribromodiphenyl ether

PBDE28

41318-75-6

406.9

C12H7Br3O

   

2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether

PBDE47

5436-43-1

485.8

C12H6Br4O

   

2,3',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether

PBDE66

189084-61-5

485.8

C12H6Br4O

   

2,2',3,4,4'-pentabromodiphenyl ether

PBDE85

182346-21-0

564.69

C12H5Br5O

   

2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether

PBDE99

60348-60-9

564.69

C12H5Br5O

   

2,2',4,4',6-pentabromodiphenyl ether

PBDE100

189084-64-8

564.69

C12H5Br5O

   

2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromodiphenyl ether

PBDE153

68631-49-2

643.59

C12H4Br6O

   

2,2',4,4',5,6'-hexabromodiphenyl ether

PBDE154

207122-15-4

643.59

C12H4Br6O

   

2,2',3,4,4',5',6-heptabomodiphenyl ether

PBDE183

207122-16-5

722.48

C12H3Br7O

   

2,2',3,4,4',5,5',6-octabomodiphenyl ether

PBDE203

337513-72-1

801.38

C12H2Br8O

   

3,3',4,4',5',5',6,6'-decabomodiphenyl ether

PBDE209

1163-19-5

959.17

C12Br10O

OCPs (13)

Serum

Hexachlorobenzene

HCB

118-74-1

284.77

C6Cl6

   

β-Hexachlorocyclohexane

β-HCH

319-85-7

290.83

C6H6Cl6

   

γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane

γ-HCH

58-89-9

290.83

C6H6Cl6

   

Aldrin

N/A

309-00-2

364.9

C12H8Cl6

   

Heptachlor epoxide

N/A

1024-57-3

389.3

C10H5Cl7O

   

Oxychlordane

N/A

26940-75-0

423.74

C10H4Cl8O

   

trans-Nonachlor

N/A

5103-73-1

444.2

C10H5CL9

   

Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene

p,p'-DDE

72-55-9

318.02

C14H8Cl4

   

Dieldrin

N/A

60-57-1

380.9

C12H8Cl6O

   

Endrin

N/A

72-20-8

380.9

C12H8Cl6O

   

1,1,1-trichloro-2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethane

o,p'-DDT

789-02-6

354.48

C14H9Cl5

   

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane

p,p'-DDT

50-29-3

354.48

C14H9Cl5

   

Perchloropentacyclodecane

Mirex

2385-85-5

545.51

C10Cl12

PAH Metabolites (8)

Urine

1-hydroxynaphthalene

1-NAP

90-15-3

144.17

C10H8O

   

2-hydroxynaphthalene

2-NAP

135-19-3

144.17

C10H8O

   

2-hydroxyfluorene

2-FLU

2443-58-5

182.22

C13H10O

   

3-hydroxyfluorene

3-FLU

6344-67-8

182.22

C13H10O

   

1-hydroxyphenanthrene

1-PHE

2433-56-9

194.23

C14H10O

   

2-hydroxyphenanthrene

2-PHE

605-55-0

194.23

C14H10O

   

3-hydroxyphenanthrene

3-PHE

605-87-8

194.23

C14H10O

   

1-hydroxypyrene

1-PYR

5315-79-7

218.26

C16H10O

VOC Metabolites (22)

Urine

N-Acetyl-S- (2-carboxyethyl)-L-cysteine

CEMA

51868-61-2

235.25

C8H13NO5S

   

N-Acetyl-S- (3-hydroxypropyl)-L-cysteine

3HPMA

23127-40-4

221.27

C8H15NO4S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(2-carbamoylethyl)-L-cysteine

AAMA

81690-92-8

234.27

C8H14N2O4S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)-L-cysteine

CYMA

74514-75-3

216.26

C8H12N2O3S

   

N-Acetyl-S- (2-hydroxyethyl)-L-cysteine

HEMA

14510-10-2

283.34

C13H17NO4S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(phenyl)-L-cysteine

PMA

N/A

239.29

C11H13NO3S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(n-propyl)-L-cysteine

BPMA

1424-26-6

221.27

C8H15NO4S

   

N-Acetyl-S- (3,4-dihydroxybutyl)-L-cysteine

DHBMA

144889-50-9

251.3

C9H17NO5S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(4-hydroxy-2-buten-1-yl)-L-cysteine

MHBMA3

N/A

233.28

C9H15NO4S

   

2-Thioxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid

TTCA

98169-56-3

163.21

C4H5NO2S2

   

N-Acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl-1-methyl)-L-cysteine

HPMMA

N/A

235.3

C9H17NO4S

   

2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid

ATCA

2150-55-2

146.16

C4H6N2O2S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)-L-cysteine

AMCC

103974-29-4

220.24

C7H12N2O4S

   

Phenylglyoxylic acid

PGA

611-73-4

150.13

C8H6O3

   

N-Acetyl-S-(2-hydroxypropyl)-L-cysteine

2HPMA

923-43-3

221.27

C8H15NO4S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(1-phenyl-2-hydroxyethyl-L-cysteine

PHEMA

69278-53-1

283.34

C13H17NO4S

   

N-Acetyl-S-(2-phenyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-L-cysteine

PHEMA

14510-10-2

283.34

C13H17NO4S

   

Mandelic acid

MA

90-64-2

152.15

C8H8O3

   

N-Acetyl-S-(benzyl)-L-cysteine

BMA

19542-77-9

253.32

C12H15NO3S

   

2-Methylhippuric acid

2MHA

42013-20-7

193.2

C10H11NO3

   

3-Methylhippuric acid

3MHA

27115-49-7

193.2

C10H11NO3

   

4-Methylhippuric acid

4MHA

27115-50-0

193.2

C10H11NO3

Nicotine Metabolites (2)

Serum

Cotinine

COT

486-56-6

176.22

C10H12N2O

   

Hydroxycotinine

HC

108450-02-8

192.22

C10H12N2O2

 

 

Last Reviewed: 8/23/2021