It is important to monitor levels of organic compounds in the population for risk assessment.

In the northern Sweden MONICA Study 2014, urine was sampled from women (n=67 aged 25-35 years and n=86 aged 50-60 years) and men (n=75 aged 25-35 years) and analyzed for pesticide metabolites (3-phenoxybenzoic acid and trichloropyridinol), alkylphenols (bisphenol A, bisphenol F, triclosan), 1-hydroxypyrene and ten phthalate metabolites. Correlations between concentrations and lifestyle, mainly dietary factors, were investigated. Concentrations of these compounds in young men and women in northern Sweden were compared with data from high school students in southern Sweden (Skåne). For bisphenol A, concentrations were compared with data from the MONICA study in 2009 (n=243).

Concentrations of bisphenol A were approximately halved in the northern Sweden population from 2009 until 2014. It was higher in those eating canned food more than once a week than in others. The phthalate metabolite mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) was higher in those having plastic floor in the bedroom than in others. Several phthalate metabolites were higher in northern Sweden compared to in the south, especially MBzP, whilst triclosan and the phthalate metabolite mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP) appeared to be higher in southern Sweden.

The reason of higher concentrations of many phthalate metabolites in northern compared to southern Sweden need to be investigated further