Substance data of particular relevance for indoor environments

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) launched a cooperation in 2010 to improve knowledge about chemical substances that are absorbed by the human body.

The focus is on substances that the population may be increasingly exposed to or that may be of particular relevance to health but have not yet been measurable in the human body.

In 10 years of joint project work on human biomonitoring (2010-2020), analytical methods were developed for more than half of the 50 selected substances. Due to the complex and lengthy process of developing the analytical methods, the collaboration was extended until 2025. 

The subject of the cooperation is human biomonitoring (HBM), in which the exposure to chemical substances in the human body is determined by analyzing body fluids and tissue (e.g. blood or urine). You can find more information on our topic page.

The development of analytical methods for HMB is complex and cost-intensive. The VCI has assumed responsibility for the development of the methods. The BMU, supported by the German Environment Agency (UBA), is responsible for the application of the methods in suitable studies.

Even the selection of the substances for which analytical methods are ultimately to be developed is a complex process. A high-ranking group of experts from research, industry and the relevant authorities supports the BMU and VCI in this process. The German Environment Agency is responsible for managing the project.

Further information on the cooperation to promote human biomonitoring can be found on the website of the German Environment Agency.

As many of the target substances to be selected are also relevant for the exposure of the population in indoor spaces, detailed information on these substances is provided here.