Alkyl pyrrolidone solvents N–methyl–2–pyrrolidone (NMP) and N–ethyl–2–pyrrolidone (NEP) in urine of children and adolescents in Germany – human biomonitoring results of the German Environmental Survey 2014–2017 (GerES V)

) for the sum of NEP metabolites, thus remaining below the current health-based human biomonitoring values. For NMP, highest exposure was found in young children, but exposure pathways could not be revealed. Exposure to NEP was highest in adolescents and participants with low socio-economic status or migration background. Associations to usage of personal care products suggested the choice of products to have a distinct impact on NEP exposure. The presented data can be used by the German Human Biomonitoring Commission to derive new reference values (RV95) for NMP and NEP for children and adolescents in Germany. This will facilitate to recognise changing exposure levels in this population group in Germany.