Workgroup Report: Biomonitoring Study Design, Interpretation, and Communication—Lessons Learned and Path Forward

Bates, Michael; Hamilton, Joshua W.; LaKind, Judy S.; Langenberg, Patricia; OʼMalley, Michael; Snodgrass, Wayne R.

doi:10.1289/ehp.8197

Cited by 41 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Bates and colleagues' report on a workshop to discuss biomonitoring study design, interpretation and communication concluded that a website should be a high priority, enabling the data to be shared with other scientists (Bates et al, 2005). Researchers also have an obligation to the participants and the general public to be transparent and honest about the design and implementation of the study as well as how the results and other outputs will be used.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries

Exley

Cano

Aerts

et al. 2015

Environmental Research

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A communication strategy was developed by The Consortium to Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale (COPHES), as part of its objectives to develop a framework and protocols to enable the collection of comparable human biomonitoring data throughout Europe. The framework and protocols were tested in the pilot study DEMOCOPHES (Demonstration of a study to Coordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale). The aims of the communication strategy were to raise awareness of human biomonitoring, encourage participation in the study and to communicate the study results and their public health significance. It identified the audiences and key messages, documented the procedure for dissemination of results and was updated as the project progressed. A communication plan listed the tools and materials such as press releases, flyers, recruitment letters and information leaflets required for each audience with a time frame for releasing them. Public insight research was used to evaluate the recruitment material, and the feedback was used to improve the documents. Dissemination of results was coordinated in a step by step approach by the participating countries within DEMOCOPHES, taking into account specific national messages according to the needs of each country. Participants received individual results, unless they refused to be informed, along with guidance on what the results meant. The aggregate results and policy recommendations were then communicated to the general public and stakeholders, followed by dissemination at European level. Several lessons were learnt that may assist other future human biomonitoring studies. Recruitment took longer than anticipated and so social scientists, to help with community engagement, should be part of the research team from the start. As a European study, involving multiple countries, additional considerations were needed for the numerous organisations, different languages, cultures, policies and priorities. Therefore, communication documents should be seen as templates with essential information clearly indicated and the option for each country to tailor the material to reflect these differences. Future studies should consider setting up multidisciplinary networks of medical professionals and communication experts, and holding training workshops to discuss the interpretation of results and risk communication. Publicity and wide dissemination of the results helped to raise awareness of human biomonitoring to the general public, policy makers and other key stakeholders. Effective and timely communication, at all stages of a study, is essential if the potential of human biomonitoring research to improve public health is to be realised.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries

Exley

Cano

Aerts

et al. 2015

Environmental Research

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“…Researchers typically use the peer-reviewed scientifi c literature as the principal approach to communicate study results [ 61 ]. On the other hand, researchers are increasingly called upon to communicate with study subjects when designing, interpreting, and reporting their work [ 62 ].…”

Section: Results Communicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overall, in result communication there must be a great concern on the subject's ability to understand study information, including the associated uncertainties and limitations; pamphlets, posters, graphic narratives, and videos may prove to be useful to reach a wider audience [ 61 ].…”

Section: Results Communicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Comet Assay In Vivo in Humans

Costa

Teixeira

2014

Genotoxicity and DNA Repair

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In the last decades, the comet assay has been used as a molecular biomarker to detect DNA damage in several human biomonitoring studies. Nevertheless, many of these studies are often inconclusive or offer poor quality data due to study design constraints. This chapter describes not only the experimental protocol to carry the alkaline version of the comet assay in human cells but also considers many of the obstacles that the researcher faces while carrying a human biomonitoring study, such as sample size, sample type, sample collection, statistics, and result communication. Understanding assay limitations, both experimental and biological, is essential to improve both data quality and data relevance obtained and to guarantee that comet assay continues to provide enhanced reliability as a biomarker in human biomonitoring studies.Key words Comet assay , Human biomonitoring , Exposure , Lymphocytes , Whole blood Comet Assay for Human BiomonitoringComet assay (also designated of single cell gel electrophoresis) is a rapid, simple, visual, and sensitive method to detect DNA breakage in eukaryotic cells [ 1 ].Briefl y, cells are embedded in agarose on a microscope slide, lysed with detergent to remove cell and nuclear membranes, and treated with a high salt solution. Nucleoids are formed, containing non-nucleosomal but still supercoiled DNA. Any breaks present in the DNA cause the supercoiling to relax locally and loops of DNA are then free to extend toward the anode during electrophoresis. At the end of this procedure, damaged cells will resemble comets (hence the name comet assay ) while non-damaged cells maintain their round appearance. Comets are viewed by fl uorescence microscopy after staining with a suitable fl uorescent DNA-binding dye [ 2 ].The pH of unwinding solution is responsible for differences in method sensitivity, as the conversion of alkali-labile sites to strand breaks is a process dependent on the pH and time of alkaline treatment. Under alkaline (pH > 13) conditions, the assay potentially

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“…Experimental studies with pesticides and other industrial products are often controversial, particularly when nonpharmaceuticals (such as pesticides) are intentionally administered to humans, regardless of potential study benefits (Bates et al 2005;Boxer and Waxman 2005;Kaiser 2003). Controversy surrounded a human volunteer study (Cain 2004) performed on the irritant effects of chloropicrin (Lee and Clark 2005).…”

Section: Volunteer Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Illnesses Associated with Chloropicrin use in California Agriculture, 1992 – 2003

Oriel¹,

Edmiston²,

Beauvais³

et al. 2009

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

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With limitations imposed on the use of methyl bromide by international treaty, use of metam-sodium, chloropicrin, and other fumigants have increased; this increase has been accompanied by multiple community illness episodes. In this review we address the California experience of direct or indirect exposures to chloropicrin, after use of this fumigant as an active ingredient in agricultural pest control, from the years 1992-2003. The best available toxicology data demonstrate that, for brief exposures (5-30 sec), eye irritation (or at least "chemesthesis"--detection of exposure by the eye) occurred in 50% of volunteer subjects exposed to 700 ppb of chloropicrin. Of 62 subjects tested, 10-15% (depending upon the site of exposure) failed to detect 1200 ppb of chloropicrin (the highest concentrations tested). For exposures lasting 20 min, the minimum concentration detectable by 50% of the subjects was 75 ppb; the no-observed-effect-level (NOEL) for eye irritation was 50 ppb. Exposures for 1 hr, at 100 and 150 ppb, produced subjective eye irritation in most subjects. Using a standard tenfold uncertainty factor (Extoxnet 2006), an estimated NOEL for a 1-hr exposure to chloropicrin (calculated from the 100 ppb lowest-observed-effect-level) would be 10 ppb. The few monitoring studies conducted for agricultural use of chloropicrin demonstrate that the most sensitive effect to chloropicrin exposure is sensory irritation. The use of chloropicrin for field fumigation presents a difficult problem, both because of the extreme degree to which it is irritating, and because of the very low concentrations that cause such irritation. The cases summarized in this report, especially those resulting from applications that adhere to label and permit standards, suggest that additional mitigation measures are needed to minimize off-site human exposure associated with chloropicrin applications in California. Examination of the previously discussed Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program cases revealed that conducting the applications according to label directions and local permit conditions was not always adequate to prevent off-site exposure or resultant irritation or other symptoms. This suggests that current methods of fumigant containment and/or buffer zone requirements are insufficient under some circumstances.

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Workgroup Report: Biomonitoring Study Design, Interpretation, and Communication—Lessons Learned and Path Forward

Cited by 41 publications

References 38 publications

Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries

Communication in a Human biomonitoring study: Focus group work, public engagement and lessons learnt in 17 European countries

The Comet Assay In Vivo in Humans

Illnesses Associated with Chloropicrin use in California Agriculture, 1992 – 2003

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