Statewide Biomonitoring Projects

woman getting blood drawn, urine sample, vials of blood

The New York State Department of Health conducts biomonitoring projects to learn more about levels of chemicals like per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, and heavy metals in New Yorkers by testing blood and urine. Biomonitoring helps further State research into the levels of environmental chemicals in the human body. New York State receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for statewide biomonitoring projects. Results are provided to participants and group-level results are used in scientific publications, reports, and presentations. Confidentiality is protected so that individual participants cannot be identified. This project does not involve testing for drug use or genetic testing.


Biomonitoring NY

The first phase of Biomonitoring NY is nearing completion and is the largest biomonitoring project ever conducted in New York State. More than 2,000 New Yorkers participated in Biomonitoring NY. Blood and urine samples collected are currently being analyzed at Wadsworth Center Laboratory and results are being provided back to participants.

Biomonitoring NY - Neighborhoods

New York State researchers are teaming up with communitypartners to give residents more convenient opportunities to learn more about chemicals in their bodies in rural and urban areas that were underrepresented in our previous Biomonitoring NY efforts.

 

Biomonitoring helps researchers better understand human contact with chemicals in the environment. We collect and analyze blood and urine samples to measure the levels of chemicals in the body (or exposure).

National biomonitoring shows that most people have environmental chemicals in their blood and urine. Participating in biomonitoring can provide more information about how levels in your body compare with levels in the general U.S. population.

What Do We Test For?

  • PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that have been used in consumer products such as food packaging, stain and water repellants, cleaning products, personal care products, paints, and firefighting foam. PFAS are widely found in the environment and can stay in the human body for years.
  • Pesticides kill pests such as unwanted plants or animals. Pesticides include herbicides for destroying weeds, insecticides for controlling unwanted insects, and fungicides to prevent the growth of molds and mildew. People are exposed to low levels of pesticide residues through their diets due to their widespread use in farming.
  • Heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium can cause harmful health effects. They can build up in the body as a result of contact with contaminated dust in the workplace and during hobbies, or from air or water pollution, tainted foods, improperly-coated food containers, and peeling and chipping lead-based paint.

We will not test for medication or drug use or analyze DNA or genes.

How Does Exposure Affect Health? Image of different chemical exposures and the routes of exposure for people

Exposure to chemicals in the environment can cause disease or illness in people. However, dectecting them in blood or urine does not mean that they are causing health effects. Many personal factors affect health. Scientists continue to study how human contact with chemicals in the environment affect the likelihood of developing diseases. We recommend that participants discuss their biomonitoring results and health concerns with their health care provider.

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