Human monitoring data data formats
Human (bio)monitoring data are analytical measurements of chemical substances or markers of health effects in body fluids or tissues. This data can be used for assessing (combined) exposure to chemicals and the risks associated with this exposure. MCRA supports upload of this data in two formats: a relational table structure that matches the internal representation of MCRA and the PARC harmonized HBM data format.
Relational human monitoring concentration data format
The relational human monitoring concentrations data format is the format that is used internally in MCRA. The data format consists of a number of tables for specification of the study, the individuals of the study (and their specific characteristics), and the human (bio)monitoring samples and sample analyses.
Download empty dataset template:
Human monitoring surveys
Contains the definitions of the human (bio)monitoring surveys/studies.
Accepted table names: HumanMonitoringSurveys, HumanMonitoringSurvey.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idSurvey |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Unique identification code of the survey. |
idSurvey, idStudy |
Yes |
Name |
AlphaNumeric (100) |
Name of the study/survey. |
Name |
No |
Description |
AlphaNumeric (200) |
Description of the study/survey. |
Description |
No |
Location |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The location or country where survey is held. It is recommended to use ISO Alpha-2 country codes. |
Location, Country |
No |
BodyWeightUnit |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The unit of bodyweight of the individuals of the survey: kg (default) or g. |
BodyWeightUnit, UnitBodyWeight, WeightIn |
No |
AgeUnit |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The unit of age, i.e., year or month. |
UnitAge, agein, AgeUnit |
No |
StartDate |
DateTime |
The starting date of the survey. |
StartDate |
No |
EndDate |
DateTime |
The end date of the survey. |
EndDate |
No |
NumberOfSurveyDays |
Integer |
The number of days each individual participated in the survey. |
NumberOfSurveyDays, NDaysInSurvey |
Yes |
idPopulation |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Unique identification code of the population. |
IdPopulation, PopulationId |
No |
Individuals
The individuals of a survey are recorded in the Individuals table. Add additional properties like Region, Breastfeeding to further describe an individual. In table IndividualProperties, each property in the Individuals table is described (recommended way). Note that only those properties that are available in the Individuals table are used in module Populations, table Populations or PopulationIndividualPropertyValues to subset the individuals. This is only relevant when the UseData option in the population module is used.
Accepted table names: Individuals, SurveyIndividuals, ConsumptionSurveyIndividuals, FoodConsumptionSurveyIndividuals.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idIndividual |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Unique identification code of the individual. |
idIndividual, IndividualId, Individual, Id |
Yes |
idFoodSurvey |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The identification code / short name of survey. |
idSurvey, idFoodSurvey, Survey, FoodSurvey, SurveyId, FoodSurveyId, SurveyCode |
Yes |
BodyWeight |
Numeric |
The body weight of the individual. |
BodyWeight, Weight |
Yes |
SamplingWeight |
Numeric |
The sampling weight for an individual (default = 1). |
SamplingWeight |
No |
NumberOfSurveyDays |
Integer |
The number of days the individual participated in the survey. |
NumberOfSurveyDays, NumberOfDaysInSurvey, DaysInSurvey, NDaysInSurvey |
No |
Name |
AlphaNumeric (100) |
Name or label of the individual. |
Name |
No |
Description |
AlphaNumeric (200) |
Additional description of the individual. |
Description |
No |
Individual properties |
Other individual properties can be added like the fields Age, Gender, Region etc. These properties are automatically parsed as co-factors or co-variables. |
No |
Individual properties
This table is used to describe the properties used in the Populations or PopulationIndividualPropertyValues table characterising the population (table Populations) and/or the properties used in the Individuals table characterising an individual. Properties like Age, Gender, Region are describing an individual (PropertyLevel = Individual). Properties like Period (for populations) or Month (sampling date for an individual day) are describing an individual day (PropertyLevel = IndividualDay).
Accepted table names: IndividualProperties, IndividualProperty.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idIndividualProperty |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The code of the property. |
idIndividualProperty, IndividualPropertyId, IndividualProperty |
Yes |
Name |
AlphaNumeric (100) |
The name of the property. |
Name |
No |
PropertyLevel |
PropertyLevelType | The level of the property. This type follows a controlled terminology, with possible values: Individual or IndividualDay. |
PropertyLevel, LevelProperty |
No |
Description |
AlphaNumeric (200) |
Description of the property. |
Description |
No |
Type |
IndividualPropertyType | This field specifies the type of the values of this individual property. This type follows a controlled terminology, with possible values: Boolean, Categorical (default), Numeric, Nonnegative, Integer, NonnegativeInteger, Month, Datetime, Gender. |
Type |
No |
Individual property values
Not recommended. This table describes individual property values. Property values are describing an individual for properties like e.g. Region, Breastfeeding. The recommended way is to add these columns as additional columns in the Individuals table. In table IndividualProperties, each property in the IndividualPropertyValues table is described.
Accepted table names: IndividualPropertyValues, IndividualPropertyValue.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idIndividual |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The identification number of the Individual. |
Id |
Yes |
PropertyName |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The name of the property. |
Name |
Yes |
TextValue |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The value of the property as text value. |
No |
|
DoubleValue |
Numeric |
The value of the property as number. |
No |
Analytical methods
The analytical methods used for analysing the samples are recorded in the analytical methods table. Each analytical method should have a unique identification code (idAnalyticalMethod). The description field may be used for a more detailed description of the analytical method. The records of this table should be linked to one or more analytical method substance properties table, which record the substances that are measured by this method (and their limits of reporting).
Accepted table names: AnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethods.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idAnalyticalMethod |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The code for the method of analysis. |
idAnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethodId, AnalyticalMethodName, Id |
Yes |
Name |
AlphaNumeric (100) |
Name of the analytical method. |
Name |
No |
Description |
AlphaNumeric (255) |
Additional description of method of analysis. |
Description |
No |
Analytical method properties for substances
This table describes the substances analysed by an analytical method. For each substance analysed by an analytical method a record should be included that describes the unit of measurement and the reporting limits (LOQ/LOD).
Accepted table names: AnalyticalMethodSubstances, AnalyticalMethodSubstance, AnalyticalMethodCompounds, AnalyticalMethodCompound.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idAnalyticalMethod |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The code of method of analysis. |
idAnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethodName, AnalyticalMethodId |
Yes |
idSubstance |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The substance code. |
idSubstance, SubstanceId, Substance |
Yes |
LOD |
Numeric |
The limit of detection (LOD) is the lowest concentration of an substance in a sample that can be consistently detected. |
LOD |
No |
LOQ |
Numeric |
The limit of quantification (LOQ) is the lowest concentration of a substance that can be quantified. The LOQ should be larger than the LOD. |
LOQ, LOR |
No |
ConcentrationUnit |
ConcentrationUnit | The unit used for reporting the LOD, LOQ, and the substance concentrations. When not specified, then a default unit of mg/kg is assumed. |
ConcentrationUnit, Units, Unit |
No |
Human monitoring samples
Describes the samples taken during the study. Each sample has a unique identifier/code.
Accepted table names: HumanMonitoringSamples, HumanMonitoringSample.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idSample |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Unique identification code of the monitoring sample. |
idSample, Sample |
Yes |
idIndividual |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Unique identification code of the individual. |
idIndividual, IndividualId, Individual, Id |
Yes |
DateSampling |
DateTime |
Date of sampling. |
DateSampling, DateOfSampling, SamplingDate |
No |
DayOfSurvey |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Identification code of the day of measurement. |
Day, idDay, DayId, DayOfSurvey |
Yes |
TimeOfSampling |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Identification code of the time of sampling. |
TimeOfSampling, SamplingTime, TimeSampling |
No |
SampleType |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Type of sample (e.g., pooled, 24h urine, spot urine, serum from blood, etc.). |
SampleType, SamplingType |
No |
Compartment |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
If applicable, the measured compartment of the human body (e.g., blood, urine). When specified, the measurements are considered at the level of internal doses. |
Compartment |
No |
ExposureRoute |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
If applicable, the measured exposure route, e.g., dermal (in case of skin wipes). When specified, the measurements are considered at the level of external doses. |
ExposureRoute |
No |
SpecificGravity |
Numeric |
Specific gravity of the measured person for this particular sample. |
SpecificGrafity, SpecificGravity |
No |
SpecificGravityCorrectionFactor |
Numeric |
Correction factor for the concentration to account for the specific gravity of the measured person for this particular sample. |
SpecificGravityCorrectionFactor |
No |
Name |
AlphaNumeric (100) |
Name of the human monitoring sample. |
Name |
No |
Description |
AlphaNumeric (200) |
Additional description of the human monitoring sample. |
Description |
No |
Human monitoring sample analyses
Contains the measurements of the samples of human monitoring studies.
Accepted table names: HumanMonitoringSampleAnalyses, HumanMonitoringSampleAnalysis.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idSampleAnalysis |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Unique identification code of the sample analysis. |
idSampleAnalysis, SampleAnalysis |
Yes |
idSample |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
Code of the measured monitoring sample. |
idSample, Sample |
Yes |
idAnalyticalMethod |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The code of method of analysis. |
idAnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethodName, AnalyticalMethodId |
Yes |
AnalysisDate |
DateTime |
Date of analysis. |
AnalysisDate, DateAnalysis |
No |
Substance concentration(s) |
AlphaNumeric (100) |
Substance concentrations can be uploaded via the sample concentrations table or via additional columns of the sample analyses table. For the latter, one or more columns with the measured concentrations of the substances in the unit as specified by the analytical method should be included in the data table. The column name(s) should match the substance codes of the substances measured by the analytical methods. Empty fields for substances that should have been measured by the analytical method are considered to be censored with measurement values below LOQ or LOD. |
No |
|
Name |
AlphaNumeric (100) |
Name of the human monitoring sample analysis. |
Name |
No |
Description |
AlphaNumeric (200) |
Additional description of the human monitoring sample analysis. |
Description |
No |
Sample concentrations
The positive concentration values for substances from analysis in the unit specified in table human monitoring sample analyses. Censored values (i.e. results ‘less than LOR’) are not included, their existence can be inferred from the tables AnalysisSamples and AnalyticalMethodSubstances, and the LOR itself from the analytical method.
Accepted table names: HumanMonitoringSampleConcentrations, HumanMonitoringSampleConcentration, HumanMonitoringConcentrations.
| Name | Type | Description | Aliases | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
idAnalysisSample |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The identification number of the analysed sample. |
idAnalysisSample, AnalysisSampleId |
Yes |
idSubstance |
AlphaNumeric (50) |
The substance code. |
idSubstance, SubstanceId, Substance |
Yes |
Concentration |
Numeric |
The measured concentration. |
Concentration |
No |
ResType |
ResType | The type of residue. Should be VAL (= default), LOQ, LOD or MV. |
ResType |
No |
PARC HBM data format
The PARC HBM data format is the data format proposed in the EU Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) project. MCRA supports upload of files in this format, of which the data is mapped to the MCRA internal data format during the upload of the files.