Environmental Public Health Tracking & Biomonitoring

MDH is conducting tracking and biomonitoring studies in Minnesota and participating in activities at the federal level to build greater capacity for environmental health tracking initiatives in Minnesota.

Tracking
Environmental health tracking will help us better understand how the environment can affect people’s health.  It is defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the ongoing collection, integration, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of data from environmental hazard monitoring, human exposure surveillance, and health effects surveillance. 

The Minnesota Environmental Public Health Tracking System (MN EPHT) is intended to use data already being collected in the state about environmental hazards, population exposure, and health outcomes. These data will be analyzed and shared on an ongoing basis. The system observes trends in environmental conditions, population exposure and rates of disease.

Biomonitoring
Biomonitoring is measuring the amount of a chemical (or the products that a chemical breaks down into) in people's bodies.

The Biomonitoring Pilot Program is a two-year project to conduct specific biomonitoring studies. The legislature directed MDH to conduct small biomonitoring studies for exposure to arsenic, mercury, and perfluorochemicals.

In 2007, the Minnesota legislature directed MDH to develop and implement a tracking system and to pilot biomonitoring studies. An Advisory Panel was created to advise MDH on developing and carrying out these activities. In February 2009, MDH submitted a report to the legislature on the progress of the tracking and biomonitoring pilot programs. MDH is required to submit biennial reports on the tracking program beginning January 15, 2009.

MDH also established an interagency agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota to implement the biomonitoring and tracking programs.

For more information about this page, please contact the Health Risk Assessment Unit: health.risk@state.mn.us