Harmonization of Biomonitoring Measurements in the Canadian Health Measures Survey: An Overview of Approaches, Challenges, and Successes

The generation of high-quality biomonitoring data is essential for human exposure assessment and health effects research. The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) is the most comprehensive, direct health measures survey conducted in Canada and includes a biomonitoring component to measure exposure to environmental chemicals. Since its initiation in 2007, the program has successfully measured more than 250 chemicals in the blood, urine, and hair of Canadians. CHMS biomonitoring data have been used to establish baseline human biomonitoring concentrations in Canadians, inform public health, regulatory risk assessment and management decisions, and fulfill national and international chemical reporting requirements. These achievements required efforts to harmonize this program with other national and international programs on various areas of biomonitoring. This study provides an overview of the harmonization approaches in different practical aspects of the Canadian national biomonitoring program, including chemical selection, laboratory implementation and coordination (including method development, validation, and QA/QC processes), and data reporting (including LOD/LOQ and report format). Harmonization of approaches in Canada’s program ensures consistency across programs, comparability of data from one cycle to the next and with other populations, and enables tracking of exposure over time. Continued coordination of approaches will provide opportunities for the development of a biomonitoring network to enhance collaboration and cooperation among national and international biomonitoring programs.