Published on: 26-02-2021

Professor Abderrazek Hedhili is a Professor of Toxicology both at Monastir University (Faculty of Pharmacy) and Tunis – El Manar University (Faculty of Medicine). He is the head of the Biology and Toxicology Laboratories, as well as the chair of the Laboratory of Toxicology and Environment (LR12SP07), both part of the Mahmoud Yaacoub Center of Urgent Medical Assistance of Tunis. As such, he oversees 50 researchers, has supervised more than 50 graduate students and authored over 80 publications. Pr. Hedhili also acts as a consultant toxicologist for several national and international organizations, working for example with the World Health Organization on drug abuse and chemical substances, the International Labour Organization on atmospheric and work polluters and the Arab Organization of Work on polluters in work areas.

Pr. Hedhili has been widely involved in national and international scientific organizations, holding several executive positions in the Tunisian Society of Clinical Biology, Arab Federation of Clinical Biology, Fédération Internationale Francophone de Biologie Clinique et de Médecine du Laboratoire, Tunisian Friendly Pharmacists, Tunisian Pharmacists Council and the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. He has been active in the promotion of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine throughout the world, in particular in Arab countries and in Africa.

His main research interests include pesticides, mycotoxins, drugs of abuse, chemical risks, trace elements, drug monitoring, environmental pollutants, bio and chemical hazards, impact of toxic elements on biological and clinical parameters, impacts of organic and mineral toxic compounds on male infertility, poisonous plants and mycotoxins.

Government Chemist Laboratory Authority
Mahmoud Yaacoub Center of Urgent Medical Assistance

The Laboratory of Toxicology and Environment (LR12SP07) is part of the Mahmoud Yaacoub Center of Urgent Medical Assistance. Located in Tunis, capital of Tunisia and the most populated city of the country, this national toxicology laboratory performs forensic, clinical and environmental analyses. It uses state-of-the-art equipment, such as GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, and atomic absorption (AA), in addition to using workflow automation.

Selected publications:

  • Ben Ghezala, H., Chaouali, N., Gana, I., Snouda, S., Nouioui, A., Belwaer, I., Ouali, J., Kaddour, M., Masri, W., Ben Salah, D., Amira, D., Ghorbal, H., Hedhili, A., 2015. Toxic effects of Rhamnus alaternus: A rare case report. Case Reports in Emergency Medicine, 2015, 182951. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/182951
  • Arrebola, J.P., Belhassen, H., Artacho-Cordón, F., Ghali, R., Ghorbel, H., Boussen, H., Perez-Carrascosa, F.M., Expósito, J., Hedhili, A., Olea, N., 2015. Risk of female breast cancer and serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls: A case–control study in Tunisia. Science of The Total Environment, 520, pp. 106-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.045
  • Moslah, B., Araoud, M., Nouioui, M.A., Najjar, S., Amira, D., Ben Salah, N., Hedhili, A., 2018. Fast screening tests for the simultaneous detection of 11 drugs of abuse in urine specimens. A forensic epidemiology study of 28,298 cases in Tunisia. Forensic Science International, 283, pp. 35-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.12.004
  • Nouioui, M.A., Araoud, M., Milliand, M.-L., Bessueille-Barbier, F., Amira, D., Ayouni-Derouiche, L., Hedhili, A., 2019. Biomonitoring chronic lead exposure among battery manufacturing workers in Tunisia. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26, pp. 7980-7993. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04209-y
  • Ouhibi, S., Vial, A., Martins, C., Gali, R., Hedhili, A., De Saeger, S., De Boevre, M., 2020. LC-MS/MS methodology for simultaneous determination of patulin and citrinin in urine and plasma applied to a pilot study in colorectal cancer patients. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 136, 110994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2019.110994

Map image modified from image by: Martin23230 on www.wikipedia.com

Want to be part of our 2020 series “Spotlight on African Toxicology”? Get in touch with the TIAFT Communications Committee at communications@tiaft.org. We are looking for toxicologists all across the continent!