Biological monitoring
Biological monitoring
Biological monitoring (pronunciation: bi-o-log-i-cal mon-i-tor-ing) is a scientific method used in occupational health and environmental science to assess the exposure of organisms to various environmental stressors.
Etymology
The term "biological monitoring" is derived from the Greek word "bios" meaning life, and the Latin word "monitor" meaning one who reminds or checks.
Definition
Biological monitoring involves the measurement of the concentrations of a chemical, its metabolite, or the product of an interaction between a chemical and some target molecule or cell, in any biological medium. The most commonly used media are blood and urine.
Related Terms
- Biomarkers: A measurable substance in an organism whose presence is indicative of some phenomenon such as disease, infection, or environmental exposure.
- Bioaccumulation: The accumulation of substances, such as pesticides, or other organic chemicals in an organism.
- Biomonitoring: The use of organisms to assess environmental conditions.
- Exposure Assessment: The process of measuring or estimating concentration (or intensity), frequency, and duration of exposures to an agent present in the environment, or estimating future exposures for an agent not currently in the environment.
Applications
Biological monitoring is used in various fields such as occupational health, environmental science, and toxicology. It is used to assess the exposure of workers to chemicals in the workplace, the exposure of populations to environmental pollutants, and the effects of toxic substances on wildlife.
Advantages
Biological monitoring has several advantages over other methods of assessing exposure to chemicals. It can provide a more accurate estimate of exposure because it takes into account all routes of exposure - inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption. It can also detect exposures that occur over a period of time, rather than at a specific moment.
Disadvantages
However, biological monitoring also has some limitations. It can be more expensive and time-consuming than other methods. It also requires technical expertise to interpret the results. In addition, there can be ethical issues related to the collection of biological samples.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Biological monitoring
- Wikipedia's article - Biological monitoring
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