Human biomonitoring reference values derived for persistent organic pollutants in blood plasma from the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2007–2011

Nationally representative human biomonitoring data on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including organochlorine pesticides (OCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are available through the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). We have used a systematic approach building on the reference interval concept proposed by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry to derive human biomonitoring reference values (RV95s) for selected POPs in blood plasma in the general Canadian population. Biomarkers were chosen based on specific selection criteria including their detection in most Canadians (>66% detection rate). Age and sex were evaluated as possible partitioning criteria and separate RV95s were derived for the sub-populations in cases where partitioning was deemed necessary. RV95s for OCs, PCBs, and BFRs were derived both on a whole weight of blood plasma and on a lipid weight adjusted basis whereas they were derived only on a whole weight basis for PFASs. RV95s ranged from 0.018μg/L (PCB 201) to 21μg/L (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and from 3.1μg/kg lipid (PCB 201) to 1400μg/kg lipid (p,p'-DDE). The 22 RV95s reported in this paper represent the first set of reference values for POPs in the Canadian general population against which individual and population human biomonitoring data may be compared.