Biomonitoring
Mission
To support programs concerning environmental health and emergency preparedness, as well as the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, by measuring the uptake of environmental toxicants in human specimens.
What we do
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Test blood collected from children throughout the state to determine whether they have been exposed to lead.
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Participate in studies designed to assess population exposure to toxic elements and chemicals in the environment, such as metals and harmful organic compounds.
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Implement diverse analytical methods designed to detect human exposure to a variety of occupational and environmental chemical agents, such as cyanide, pesticides, and volatile compounds.
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Assist environmental health programs by screening targeted populations if an environmental contaminant is discovered.
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Maintain strong working relationships with area hospitals and environmental stakeholders.
Accomplishments
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To gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to the State’s opioid epidemic, the Biomonitoring laboratory has implemented an opioid, opioid metabolite, and fentanyl analog testing method that will aid in confirming the identity of the drugs of abuse contributing to non-fatal overdoses in Rhode Island. Specimens from suspected fatal overdoses are characterized by the Rhode Island State Health Laboratory Forensic Toxicology Laboratory
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The Biomonitoring Laboratory has been accepted into the Association of Public Health Laboratories' National Biomonitoring Network (NBN) as a Tier 2 laboratory. The NBN is a network of governmental biomonitoring laboratories integrated into the public health system. NBN laboratories will work to advance science by ensuring the quality and consistency of biomonitoring measurements, and the data produced by the NBN will be used to inform environmental health decisions on a national scale.
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In partnership with RIDOH's center for Healthy Homes and Environment, the laboratory has aided in the expansion of blood lead testing to underserved children in the community.
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Provided support to help ensure a rapid response by the Rhode Island State Health Laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/2021.
Rhode Island Department of Health