An introduction to BASIC Guide: human biomonitoring and surveillance of chemical exposure in occupational settings
Human biomonitoring (HBM) complements air and surface measurements by integrating exposure from all routes and sources, strengthening occupational exposure assessment and control. In occupational settings, HBM can quantify exposure during routine work and nonroutine activities, evaluate controls, investigate incidents (potential overexposures), and support medical surveillance. To use HBM to its full potential, occupational health and safety professionals (OHPs) should adopt harmonized biomonitoring approaches reflecting best practice. This short communication presents the BASIC Guide series (Human Biomonitoring and Surveillance of Chemical Exposure in Occupational Settings), initiated by the International Society of Exposure Science Human Biomonitoring working group (ISES Europe HBM WG) as an integral part of the HBM Global Network. These chemical-specific practical documents operationalize the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) occupational biomonitoring guidance, supporting the consistent implementation of exposure biomonitoring programs. Each BASIC Guide provides clear instructions on biomarker selection, sample handling, analytical methods, quality assurance, and result interpretation and communication. By translating international frameworks into actionable protocols, the BASIC Guides improve reproducibility and regulatory alignment in occupational HBM and enable more defensible exposure assessments worldwide.
Authors
- Jos Bessems (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5718-0733)
- Erin N. Haynes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9110-0477)
- Maryam Zare Jeddi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9505-812X)
- Ivo Iavicoli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0444-3792)
- Elizabeth Z. Lin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9599-6061)
- Karen S. Galea (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9540-8513)
- João Paulo Teixeira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8693-5250)
- Alison Connolly (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3189-7426)
- Tiina Santonen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8150-4985)
- Nancy B. Hopf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4490-6109)
- Holger M. Koch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8328-2837)
- Konstantinos C. Makris (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5251-8619)
- S. Verpaele
- Patrick J. Parsons (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9133-875X)
- A M Tavares
- Elizabeth Leese (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3607-4592)
- Giovanna Tranfo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8973-6046)
- Kyriaki Machera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6499-3468)
- Mariella Carrieri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8437-404X)
- Thomas Göen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8226-9227)
- Konstantinos M. Kasiotis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6631-0667)
- Kate Jones
- Gustavo Souza
- An Van Nieuwenhuyse (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6259-8654)
- Michael D. M. Bader (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6292-7790)
- Susana Viegas
- Nicole Palmen
- J. O. KWON
- Ana Maria Vekic
- Veruscka Leso
- Melissa Gonzales
- Marta Esteban-López
- Simo P Porras
- Jihyon Kil
- Ming Kei Chung
- Paul T J Scheepers
- Peter J Boogaard
- Radu-Corneliu Duca
- Eva Kumar
- Adrian Tristram
- Renaud Persoons
- Silvia Fustinoni
- Robert Pasanen-kase
Institutions
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT)
- Tulane University (US)
- New York State Department of Health (US)
- Wadsworth Center (US)
- University of Padua (IT)
- University of Kentucky (US)
- Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
- Cyprus University of Technology (CY)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
- Korea University (KR)
- Savonia University of Applied Sciences (FI)
- HSE Science and Research Centre (GB)
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FI)
- Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic (IT)
- Radboud University Medical Center (NL)
- Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (CH)
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico (IT)
- BASF (United States) (US)
- Yale University (US)
- Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (US)
- University at Albany, State University of New York (US)
- Techniques of Informatics and Microelectronics for Integrated Systems Architecture (FR)
- Provincial Institute for Hygiene (BE)
- National School of Public Health (GR)
- Sustainability Institute (ZA)
- Hong Kong Jockey Club (HK)
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (NL)
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (NL)
- Centro Nacional de Sanidad Ambiental (ES)
- Federico II University Hospital (IT)
- Yale New Haven Health System (US)
- Istituto Nazionale per l'Assicurazione Contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (IT)
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine (DE)
- Ministério da Saúde (BR)
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute (GR)
- Nickel Institute (CA)
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (GB)
- National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (PT)
- Laboratoire National de Santé (LU)
- Centre universitaire de médecine générale et santé publique, Lausanne (CH)
- University of the Sacred Heart (JP)
- Department of Public Health (MM)
- Department of Public Health (US)
- Korea University (JP)
- National Institute of Environmental Research (KR)
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (BE)
- University of Naples Federico II (IT)
- Shell (Netherlands) (NL)
- Universidade Nova de Lisboa (PT)
- Robert Bosch (Germany) (DE)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
- ExxonMobil (United States) (US)
- KU Leuven (BE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Annals of Work Exposures and Health
- Published
- 2025-11-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxaf074
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.20