Umweltbundesamt
Click to enlargeFrom 2014 to 2017, the German Environment Agency investigated the exposure of children and adolescent exposure to environmental influences in Germany. Families were selected to participate in the survey according to certain statistical criteria. They providedimportant insights into the health of today’s young generation – including a health check of the environmental impact on their children.
Note: First study results are available under "Links" and "Publications". Further results of the indoor investigations, drinking water measurements, human biomonitoring (HBM) investigations and evaluations regarding questions of environmental equity will follow step by step. In addition, individual data of the GerES V participants are available as a Scientific Use File for research purposes.
The 2014-2017 German Environmental Survey for Children and Adolescents (GerES V) conducted by the German Environment Agency (UBA) is the 5th large-scale survey of the population’s exposure to pollutants in the environment. The survey focused mainly on the young generation. UBA invited children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 17 who had previously been part of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS, wave 2) of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
GerES V investigated the exposure of the young generation in Germany to potentially harmful chemicals and environmental influences. The findings make it possible to draw inferences about which pollutants and other environmental factors can impact the development and health of children and adolescents.
In addition to determining current exposure and its effect on health, the other aims of GerES V included identifying or determining
The outcome also provide information on what everyone can do to promote good health and how to avoid exposure to environmental pollutants. The data serve as a basis for decision-making concerning regulations to protect man and the environment.
The main benefits of GerES V include:
A core element of the survey was human biomonitoring (HBM) – examination of the body’s own fluids and tissues. The survey involved testing blood and urine samples taken from the participating children and adolescents. The environmental influences in the participants’ living environment were also be examined. This included testing drinking water, house dust and indoor as well as the noise level in the surroundings.
A standardized interview was conducted with all participants and their parents to identify the major factors which determine the extent of their individual exposure. This might include home décor and furnishings, dietary habits, the use of different products and other behaviour which is relevant to the environment.
Some of the blood and samples were frozen and stored (subject to participant consent), so that they can be tested for new environmental pollutants at a later point in time since the necessary methods of analysis are currently still under development.
All the test methods and procedures were trialled prior to GerES V in a preliminary study involving families living in Berlin.
The children and adolescents aged 3-17 who participated in GerES V come from 167 cities and municipalities which are considered representative of the whole of Germany. All the invited participants have already participated in the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS, wave 2) of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). They were selected randomly from the local population registers as representative of their age and sex. This was to ensure that the results of the study are representative, that is, that one can generalise about all children and adolescents in the given age group in Germany (study population (Schulz et al. 2021).
The greater the number of people to participate in GerES V, the more meaningful the results are. As a small bonus the families, if they desire they could receive an environmental health evaluation of the measured pollutants.
GerES V, just as its predecessor GerES IV, was an UBA investigation of the exposure of children and adolescents. There are many reasons the young generation is considered vulnerable to health disorders:
UBA has assigned the Kantar Health GmbH to conduct the surveys, sampling and the measurements which are taken during a home visit to the participating families. The average time for sampling and the survey was about 90 minutes. The procedure involved:
A few randomly selected households were also:
The GerES V survey tested samples of urine, blood, drinking water, house dust, and indoor air for traces of pollutants. UBA is focusing on substances and environmental impacts which are known or presumed to be harmful to health under certain circumstances. The analysis of samples has been completed and the evaluation of the study results is currently in progress. The first results have already been published (s. overview of publications).
UBA’s researchers examine morning urine and blood samples to determine the degree of child and adolescent exposure to certain environmental pollutants. The pollutants may have had various different sources or uptake pathways. What is crucial in these human biomonitoring tests is that there is a specific method of analysis to trace pollutants or their metabolites in both urine and blood.
GerES V tested urine and blood for plasticisers, parabens (used as preservatives), cotinine (tobacco degradation product), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs (a product of combustion processes), various metals, per- and polyfluorinated compounds, or PFAS (used in many products), and long-lived polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB).
Some of the substances tested have an effect similar to hormones and can encourage the development of cancer or trigger allergies.
2-MBT in urine (Murawski et al. 2020) CIT/MIT in urine (Murawski et al. 2020) Lysmeral in urine (Murawski et al. 2020) Benzol and acrylamide in urine (Schwedler et al. 2021) TOTM, BHT and 4-MBC in urine (Murawski et al. 2020) Bisphenol A and other phenols in urine (Tschersich et al. 2021) Chlorophenols in urine (Schmied-Tobies et al. 2021) Glyphosate in urine (Lemke et al. 2021) Determination methode for trace elements in urine (Schmied et al. 2021)
Plasticisers are substances which are added to brittle materials to make them soft, flexible and elastic. Phthalates are a common group of plastics. They are used in soft PVC, for instance in toys, food packaging wrap, floor coverings, hoses, seals or floor coverings. Some phthalates have hormone-like properties and are classified as reprotoxic.
Because of their health risks the use of some phthalates has been greatly restricted since early 2015 and may only be used with special authorisation. Many phthalates and their substitutes are nevertheless still in use.
Phthalates are degraded relatively quickly in the body. Their metabolites are traceable in urine. GerES V tracked the concentrations of metabolites from more than ten different phthalates (e.g. DEP, BBzP, DnBP, DiBP, DEHP) in the urine of children and adolescents. A few phthalate substitutes such as DINCH and DPHP were also be tracked since their use is becoming more and more common.
Phthalates in urine (Schwedler et al. 2020) DINCH and DPHP in urine (Schwedler et al. 2020 DEHTP in urine (Schwedler et al. 2020) Review of the german HBM system – plasticizers (Lemke et al. 2021)
Parabens are used primarily as preservatives in foods, medicines and cosmetic products. Parabens in cosmetics are taken up through the skin whereas oral absorption is the common path for food and medicines. Animal tests have shown that several parabens act similarly to hormones.
Short and long-chained and branched parabens were being tracked in the urine of children and adolescents.
Tobacco smoking is still widespread in Germany. Second-hand smoke contains more than 70 pollutants and is inhaled involuntarily by non-smokers. Passive smoking in childhood is associated with a wide range of health problems and increases the risk of various diseases such as bronchitis and asthma.
Because nicotine can no longer be detected in urine after just a few hours, exposure to smoke or second-hand smoke is determined by the presence of the nicotine degradation product cotinine. Cotinine can be tracked in urine for one to two days after exposure, and even longer in non-smokers and children. Publications to study results on cotinine in urine are planned.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are produced when the combustion of organic material such as wood, coal, or oil is incomplete. They also occur in used motor oils, tar and soot. Many PAH are carcinogenic, may cause harm to the unborn child or impair fertility. There is evidence that children react more sensitively to PAH than adults.
Pyrrolidones are used as solvents in many technical applications. Child and adolescent exposure can occur through contact with paint and graffiti removers and indoors through the use of varnishes or from floor coverings.
The pyrrolidone NMP has been classified as mutagenic or reprotoxic in humans and is therefore increasingly being replaced by the pyrrolidone NEP. The latter, however, has toxicological properties very similar to NMP.
Various NMP and NEP metabolites can be tracked in urine and indicate exposure.
Some metals – iron, zinc, copper – are vital to the human organism, whereas others can cause damage in even small amounts: cadmium and mercury, for example. The body absorbs metals from food, drinking water, tobacco smoke, and from soil and dust particles. Publications to study results on metals in urine are planned.
Metals in urine and blood (Vogel et al. 2021) Lead in blood (Hahn et al. 2022)
Mercury occurs naturally in the environment but is also a by-product of industrial processes. Thermometers used to be made using mercury; nowadays it is used in energy-saving lamps. Mercury vapour escapes if they burst. Exposure to mercury can also occur by eating fish or from amalgam tooth fillings.
Chronic mercury exposure can cause damage to the central nervous system, kidneys and stomach.
GerES V examined the urine of children and adolescents for mercury concentrations, which would mainly reflect the absorption of inorganic mercury.
Just like mercury, cadmium occurs naturally in the environment. Soil and bodies of water contain high levels of cadmium if they are near industrial metals mines or battery and paint manufacturing plants.
The major source of exposure to cadmium, however, is tobacco smoke and second-hand smoke. Foods which contain cadmium can also be a factor of exposure.
Chronic exposure to cadmium can cause kidney damage and is also thought to be carcinogenic.
GerES V tracked cadmium in both urine and blood. Whereas cadmium remains in the blood for a short time only, its presence in urine reflects accumulated, lifelong exposure.
GerES V tracked twelve per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) in blood. PFAS are persistent synthetic substances which accumulate in the environment, the food chain and in the human body. The most well known among them are perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOS is used in oil, water and stain-repellent coatings in textiles, food packaging materials, and kitchen utensils. PFOA is also used in the textiles industry as well as the electronics, semiconductor, and aerospace industries.
In long-term animal tests PFOA and PFOS favour the development of tumours. Some PFAS are also presumed to impair fertility.
Although the production and use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) has been banned for decades in Germany, their persistence and accumulation in the environment can mean they are absorbed through contaminated food. PCB are neuro- and immunotoxic and may cause cancer in higher concentrations. GerES V tracked seven different PCB compounds in blood.
Drinking water is among the most effectively monitored foodstuffs in Germany and must meet the same safety criteria as bottled drinking water. And yet, undesirable substances are released from pipes into the water. The longer water remains in the pipe - experts speak of stagnant water - the greater in general terms is the contamination. In GerES V, UBA investigated the household drinking water for traces of metals and organic substances.
In GerES IV (2003-2006) the scientists traced mainly copper, nickel and lead in stagnant water. In GerES V the content of these metals was determined in both stagnant and fresh tap water. Publications to study results on metals in drinking water are planned.
Organic substances enter drinking water, for example, from plastic pipes, rubber seals and coatings. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry screening is carried out in accordance with the DIN EN 15768 norm to determine the quantities involved and what types of organic pollutant are common in drinking water. Publications to study results on organic substances in drinking water are planned.
The analysis of the hoover bag reveals the content of plasticisers (e.g. phthalates) and flame retardants in household dust. The pollutants can be absorbed via the lungs or the digestive tract. Children usually have a higher risk of exposure than adults because they are prone to putting things in their mouth and also breathe at a more rapid rate. Children may also crawl on the ground and their direct contact with dust results in more uptake than an adult.
The phthalate DEHP is in the group of plasticisers which pose a risk to health. It acts like a hormone and can impair fertility, which is why it may no longer be used in children's toys.
UBA did lab tests on the house dust to determine the content of various phthalates and their substitutes. Another test determined the extent of dust contamination with flame retardants which may come from electronic devices, upholstered furniture and floor coverings. Publications to study results on plasticisers and flame retardants in house dust are planned.
Walls, floors, cupboards and pieces of clothing continuously emit chemicals into the indoor air. This wave of the GerES survey traced volatile organic compounds (VOC) and carbonyls in indoor air. High concentrations of VOC can cause health problems because they irritate the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and eyes. Excessively high concentrations of VOC can also lead to headaches, allergies and sleep disorders. Carbonyls can irritate the mucous membranes and in some cases are carcinogenic.
In GerES V VOC were collected for seven days in a passive collector inside and outside the child’s room. Researchers made use of thermo-desorption procedures and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine the concentrations of alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, cyclic siloxanes, and different aromatic substances. Publications to study results on VOC in indoor air are planned.
The content of indoor air was analysed for 15 carbonyls, including formaldehyde and longer-chain aldehydes and ketones. They offgas from particle board, cork flooring, linoleum and some paints.
Passive samplers were installed for seven days inside the child’s room. They collected all pollutants containing carbonyl groups. The concentration of the individual substances was determined using high-pressure liquid chromatography followed by mass spectroscopy. Publications to study results on formaldehyde and other carbonyls in indoor air are planned.
Particulate matter refers to small airborne particles with a diameter of less than 10 microns (µm) (a micron is one millionth of a metre). The smaller the particles are, the deeper they penetrate into the lung, making it difficult or impossible to expel them by coughing. Ultrafine particles even enter the bloodstream via the alveoli.
Air measurements inside and outside the homes indicate the exposure of the residents to particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and ultrafine particles.
UBA placed small filter devices (mini volume samplers) in the participating families' living room for seven days to collect particles which measure no more than 2.5 microns (µm) in diameter from the air. At the same time the participating families kept a journal in which they documented when they hoover or air the apartment or clean pets' cages. The particulate concentration outside the home was measured for comparison.
Heavy metals or sometimes carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can accumulate on the surface of dust particles. GerES V also tested the dust collected for the particulate matter analysis for its PAH content. Publications to study results on PAH in indoor and outdoor air are planned.
Airborne particles smaller than 1 micron in diameter can penetrate into the bloodstream via the alveoli. This may cause inflammation of the lungs or damage the cardiovascular system.
A condensation particle counting device was installed in the child’s room for an hour to determine the content of ultrafine particles (which are less than 0.1 µm in diameter). It counts all particles which measure between 1 and 0.01 µm. The concentration ranges from 0 up to 100,000 particles per cubic centimetre of air. Measurements were taken with windows and doors closed.
The data of the German Environmental Health Study, GerES V (2014-2017) are available as a Scientific Use File for justified research purposes.
The Scientific Use File is a joint dataset composed of the information collected from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS, Wave 2) of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the German Environmental Survey, GerES V (2014-2017) of the German Environment Agency. The data set contains anonymised measurements of several pollutants, anthropometric parameters and questionnaire data of all GerES V participants.
The prerequisite for data use is an agreement between the data user and the RKI. Further information and the application form can be found on the website of the Research Data Centre of the RKI.
A level of background noise that is persistently too high or recurrent is detrimental to well-being and health. Children and adolescents are also affected. Increased blood pressure is associated with high exposure to noise. Listening to loud music with headphones or at concerts and discos is known to cause damage to the ear. However, the exact conditions in which noise becomes harmful to health have not yet been conclusively determined.
Average sound exposure was measured for a 15-to-20-minute period from the window ledge of an open window or on the balcony. The interviewers documented the position of the child’s or adolescent’s room in relation to the road, identified the type of road and asked questions to establish how the residents rate the noise level in the home.
Generally speaking, an average outdoor sound level of no more than 40 dB(A) at night and 50 dB(A) during the day is recommended. Higher sound levels diminish the sense of well-being. The risk of damage to health increases proportionally with sound level.
The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.
