CHRC Researcher Contributes to High-Impact Publication in the prestigious Environment International journal about Human Biomonitoring (HBM)
Henriqueta Louro, a researcher at CHRC, has had her study published in Environment International, one of the most prestigious and influential journals in the field of environmental health. With an impact factor above 10 and ranked in the first quartile (Q1) of scientific journals in environmental science, this publication represents a significant recognition of the quality and relevance of the work conducted.
The article presents the MIR-HBM – Minimum Information Requirements for Human Biomonitoring, developed within the scope of the ISES Europe HBM Working Group and the newly established HBM Global Network, an international network dedicated to the harmonisation of human biomonitoring (HBM) practices.
Human biomonitoring plays a key role in assessing population exposure to chemical agents — such as environmental pollutants, pesticides, heavy metals, or industrial contaminants — by analysing biological markers in samples such as blood or urine. These data are essential to support public health policies, environmental regulations, and protective measures in occupational settings.
The MIR-HBM guidance outlines a set of minimum information requirements to be considered across all phases of a biomonitoring study:
- Study planning and design
- Sample collection and handling
- Laboratory analyses
- Data management and interpretation
- Communication of results to participants and society
The aim is to ensure robustness, reproducibility, and comparability between studies conducted in different countries and contexts. Broad adoption of this guidance will improve the quality of available scientific evidence, making the data more useful for regulatory purposes and more effective in supporting the development of public and occupational health policies.
Although challenges remain regarding implementation — such as differing technical capacities, legal frameworks, and ethical requirements across countries — the MIR-HBM represents a significant step towards global harmonisation of HBM practices.
The publication of this work in Environment International further strengthens the visibility and international impact of the research conducted by CHRC investigators, promoting science in service of global public health.
Access the full article on https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109601