Altrex BiomonitoringAn application for statistical analysis of collective biological monitoring data on occupational exposure
INRS has released AltrexChimie software in 2005, its aim is to provide a collective interpretation of data series of atmospheric measurements within a similar Exposure Group www.altrex.inrs.fr. This is an online application that allows the statistical processing of chemical substances exposure measurements at the workplace. AltrexChimie is intended for any user responsible for assessing exposure to chemical substances through atmospheric sampling. AltrexChimie offers a list of substances that have a regulatory or recommended occupational exposure limit value (OELV); a method for building a sampling strategy based on the company's tasks and occupations, and in particular for designing similar exposure groups (GES); and a method which makes it possible to establish the compliance diagnosis by carrying out the statistical processing of the exposure measurements.
In practice, INRS has observed over the years a misuse of the tool: it was used to analyze biomonitoring data because there were no methodology available for collective statistical analysis. Thus, research work aiming to assess the relevance of the statistical analysis used in the assessment of atmospheric exposure for biommonitoring data has been launched. This work consisted of an extensive bibliographical analysis; then the measurements of organic and inorganic pollutants issuing from biomonitoring collected by the INRS laboratories were used to verify the fundamental statistical hypotheses of the method (the lognormality of the measurements at and the inter-subject variability within a SEG); and exchanges with experts were organized to confirm needs and make adjustments on the methodologu based on the field experience.
This research work carried out between 2019 and 2021 led to the drafting of recommendations published in June 2022 on the 'Reference en Santé au Travail' website (In French), and to the development of the Altrex-biomonitoring software
Altrex Biomonitoring - Version 1.5.2 put online on 05/23/2024.
Calculation module updated on 05/23/2024 to 02:15 pm.
© Fabrice Dimier from INRS, 2018.
Altrex Biomonitoring is a support tool for the occupational physician. It helps for the interpretation and the collective and anonymous restitution of biological monitoring data. This application allows to define similar exposure groups (SEG), to enter measurements of a biomarker within a SEG and to carry out a statistical analysis of the data. It is intended for occupational physicians since the individual measurements entered are subject to medical secrecy. Exposure measurements and diagnoses can also be archived to ensure collective traceability of exposures.
Altrex Biomonitoring went online in 2022. It is based on the same calculations as Altrex Chimie, with adaptations related to the specificities of biological monitoring. Development, maintenance, training and assistance are provided by INRS. For more details, see the section “ Find out more” at the bottom of the page.
Altrex Biomonitoring is partially online: by using Altrex Biomonitoring you are responsible for backing up and archive your data files, whereas the computation is online.
Altrex Biomonitoring produces statistical analysis reports, graphs and data tables. Everything you see on the screen can be copied and pasted into office software. You can compose your own reports as you wish. Only the detailed exposure diagnosis report can be retrieved in a standardized format.
The statistical hypothesis made by Altrex Biomonitoring application are the same as those used in Altrex Chimie They were established by a group of experts and are currently being published in the INRS journal 'References en Santé au Travail' (in French).
The results obtained using this application are statistical indicators and as such, they must be analyzed and interpreted to reach useful and applicable conclusions for the prevention of chemical risk. The occupational physician who uses Altrex Biomonitoring is solely responsible for the final use of the results of the calculation, which constitute one of the elements of a prevention approach.
No data is stored by INRS. It is the responsibility of the user to save his data on his workstation. INRS cannot be held responsible for loss of data.