Implementation of biomonitoring among population exposed to the oil shale sector (workers and residents)

Within the scope of the study, blood, urine, and hair samples are collected from 1000 individuals. Among them, 500 individuals reside in the oil shale region (including residents of Ida-Viru County and employees in the oil shale sector), while the remaining 500 people form the control group and include residents from Tallinn, Tartu, Southern Estonia, Western Estonia, and Central Estonia. The study focuses on analyzing the presence of heavy metals, pesticide residues, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites, and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) concentrations in individuals’ biomaterials (specifically blood, urine, and hair) both in the group exposed to the oil shale sector and in the comparison groups. Additionally, the study examines other chemically significant substances such as phthalates, Di-isononyl-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) within the framework of the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) activity T4.1. In addition to the biological samples, participants complete a questionnaire related to their living and working environment, lifestyle, nutrition, and health indicators, including anthropometric measurements. Based on the obtained results, a statistical analysis will assess human exposure to chemicals associated with the oil shale sector, using data from biomonitoring and questionnaires. The study will also analyze the potential health effects of these findings. Furthermore, a comparison will be made between the results of this study and existing data, providing recommendations for preventing and mitigating health effects. Additionally, the study will compare the biomonitoring results from different regions in Estonia under the PARC T4.1. framework with results from other European countries, offering a broader context for this research. At the end of the biomonitoring study, the findings will be communicated to the public (decision-makers, policymakers, businesses, residents, and other stakeholders) through information days, along with policy recommendations for shaping environmental and health policies and developing intervention measures.