Whole blood

Ideal matrix for most chemicals because it is in contact with the whole organism and in equilibrium with the organs and tissues in those chemicals are being accumulated.

Whole blood consists of several compartments; essential and accidental substances are differently distributed in single compartments. This is true for hydrophilic and lipophilic substance classes. Depending on distribution of a substance between blood plasma and cell-compartment of the blood must be decided whether analyses in whole blood or blood plasma make sense. Therefore, collecting whole blood is suitable to reflect the total exposure to pollutants.

For more information about the specimen, the sampling and the processing of samples see the Guideline for Sampling and Sample Processing Whole Blood and Blood Plasma (2015) - IBMT.

For investigations in the years 2011 to 2014 you will find the regulations in Richtlinie zur Probenahme und Probenbearbeitung Vollblut und Blutplasma (2011) - UKM.

Recommended analysis examples

• Lead in human blood

Sampling area

Analytes

• Metals

  Eighty percent of all elements on earth are metals

  Search data

Sampling period

Extended information

Literature

• The Environmental Specimen Bank for Human Tissues as part of the German Environmental Specimen Bank
  Wiesmüller, G.A.; Eckard, R; Dobler, L.; Günsel, A.; Oganowski, M.; Schröter-Kermani, C.; Schlüter, C.; Gies, A.; Kemper, F. H.
  International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 210 (2007), 3-4, 299-305, 2007
  
• Biomonitoring of new contaminants: Sub-Project 2 – Screening of target and non-target contaminants in human blood and urine
  Plaßmann, Merle; Brack, Werner; Krauss, Martin
  Leipzig: Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ, 2016. - 122, FKZ 3710622202, 2016
  
• Nontarget Time Trend Screening in Human Blood
  Plassmann, Merle M.; Fischer, Stellan; Benskin, Jonathan P.
  Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett.  5 (2018), 6, 335-340, 2018
  
• Long-term time trend of lead exposure in young German adults – Evaluation of more than 35 Years of data of the German Environmental Specimen Bank
  Lermen, Dominik; Weber, Till; Göen, Thomas; Bartel-Steinbach, Martina; Gwinner, Frederik; Mueller, Sabine C.; Conrad, André; Rüther, Maria; von Briesen, Hagen; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike
  International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 231 (2021), 113665; available online 19 November 2020, 2021
  
• Long-term monitoring of mercury in young German adults: Time trend analyses from the German Environmental Specimen Bank, 1995–2018
  Bartel-Steinbach, Martina; Lermen, Dominik; Gwinner, Frederik; Schäfer, Moritz; Göen, Thomas; Conrad, André; Weber, Till; von Briesen, Hagen; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike
  Environmental Research 207 (2022), 112592; online 31 December 2021, 2022