The EU funded A-TEAM project seeks to develop understanding of external and internal exposure to per- and polyfluorinated compounds, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate contaminants (flame retardants, plasticisers) and phthalates using a single, well-characterised human cohort (the “A-TEAM”). A-TEAM’s main research goal is to further understanding of how and to what extent consumer chemicals enter humans, and of how we can best monitor the presence of such chemicals in our indoor environment, diet, and bodies. Our vision is that such enhanced understanding of the underpinning science will lead to more effective approaches to monitoring human exposure to chemicals within Europe, thereby improving assessment of risk associated both with recent and current-use consumer chemicals, as well as those under development, and leading ultimately to more sustainable approaches to the use of chemicals. Principal objectives are: (1) to identify chemicals likely to accumulate in Europeans; (2) how to monitor chemicals in our external environment in a way that best reflects what accumulates in the body; (3) determine the relative importance of different exposure pathways to overall exposure for selected consumer chemicals of toxicological concern; (4) determine how contact with chemicals in our external environment translates into their presence in our bodies.
