A proposal for the use of biomarkers for the assessment of chronic pollution and in regulatory toxicology.

摘要: Despite a wealth of information on biomarkers, they are not routinely used for regulatory purposes, even though the potential benefits biomarkers to rationalise complex exposure-response relationships clear. Biomarkers can be inappropriately applied or misinterpreted, because fundamental assumptions in relations have been considered. Factors causing temporal and spatial variability biomarker responses reviewed. These include numerous geochemical biotic variables. The variation minimised by appropriate study site selection, experimental replication, multivariate epidemiological approaches, normalised controls, calibration responses; so that use biomonitoring tracking pollution events, including chronic multiple exposures mixtures is possible. We propose define characteristics exposure effect, which must measure changes pollution/effect against long-term other general stresses (disease, nutrition, environmental quality), relate cumulative injury, remain responsive over months years. Neuroendocrine, immunological, histological suggested pollution. framework based weight evidence approach integrate risk assessment monitoring programmes.