Molybdenum is an essential element for health, and urinary levels reflect intake from all sources. Levels of molybdenum in urine for the U.S. population were well characterized in NHANES since 1999-2000 (CDC, 2012); these levels were comparable to those reported for adults in smaller European population surveys (Iversen et al., 1998; Minoia et al., 2002; White and Sabbioni, 1998). Urinary molybdenum concentrations in infants may be slightly lower than those in other age groups (Sievers et al., 2001).

Finding a measurable amount of molybdenum in the urine does not imply that the level of molybdenum causes an adverse health effect. Biomonitoring studies on levels of molybdenum can provide physicians and public health officials with reference values so that they can determine whether people have been exposed to higher levels of molybdenum than are found in the general population. Biomonitoring data can also help scientists plan and conduct research on exposure and health effects.