Partnership for the Assessment of Risk from Chemicals PARC

The PARC project is conducting further research and analysis into the chromates, e-waste and diisocyanate data collected through the EU’s HBM4EU biomonitoring project. 

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health is coordinating three studies focusing on occupational exposure. 

1. We are conducting a detailed study on the exposure to various chemicals of persons who handle electronic and plastic waste. We are studying how biomonitoring can benefit exposure assessment in the context of complex exposure. The study is a continuation of the e-waste research conducted under the HBM4EU project. 
2. We are studying the exposure of health care professionals to various chemicals, such as hazardous pharmaceuticals, inhalational anaesthetics, control substances and disinfectants. The aim is to improve employee health and occupational safety. We also try to find the chemicals that cause the most frequent occupational exposure through various sources and routes.
3. We are studying whether or not general population studies can provide information on occupational exposure in various employee groups. The aim is to identify the preconditions for exposure and prepare recommendations for general population studies to be used later in analyzing occupational exposure. This study utilises the general population data produced by the HBM4EU project.

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health is also involved in preparing the biomonitoring guideline values for various chemicals. The process was started during the HBM4EU project. We are involved in studying innovative methods in sample collection related to occupational exposure.

The project of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health involves studying genotoxicity and non-genotoxic carcinogenic features of the priority chemicals decided by the consortium, in order to fill the knowledge gaps regarding toxicity.

1. We research and develop occupational aggregated exposure models.. The models developed are tested by means of case studies and biomonitoring data.
2. The mixture risk assessment is developed by leveraging biomonitoring data. Biomonitoring provides information on the actual mixtures we can be exposed to at work, for example. We develop physiology-based pharmacokinetic modes aimed at combining biomonitoring data with mixture exposure assessment data. The studies also combine toxicological and epidemiological information in the interpretation of simultaneous observations and identify mixtures causing exposure as well as exposure sources across regulatory boundaries. The aim is implement the developed data and models in risk assessment of mixtures.
3. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health participates in the evaluation of risk assessment methodology by using case studies. We are researching two case studies:

• use of regulatory information in the workplace chemical risk assessment
• review of guidance values targeting occupational exposures to reproductive and developmental toxicants

We are contributing to converting the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) criteria and methodology into practice. We are also involved in developing and testing a toolkit intended for fulfilling the SSbD criteria, and in disseminating information.