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Table 2 Chemicals with higher biomarker levels in the reference subgroup (GMR < 1 at 5% joint significance level)

From: A Method to screen U.S. environmental biomonitoring data for race/ethnicity and income-related disparity

Chemical group (NHANES cycle)a

Chemical name (units, media)

Subgroupb

Subgroup number of observations (ND)c

Subgroup geometric mean (95% CI)d

Reference subgroup number of observations (ND)c,e

Reference subgroup geometric mean (95% CI)d,e

Geometric mean ratio (95% CI)d

Race/Ethnicity

Income

Halogenated aromatics (2003–2004)

PCB74 (ng/g, serum)

MA

High

128 (0)

0.019 (0.016–0.023)

519 (0)

0.032 (0.03–0.035)

0.58 (0.48–0.72)

PCB74 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

High

128 (0)

3.0 (2.6–3.4)

519 (0)

5.3 (4.9–5.7)

0.57 (0.49–0.66)

PCB74 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

276 (0)

0.013 (0.011–0.015)

519 (0)

0.032 (0.03–0.035)

0.40 (0.33–0.48)

PCB74 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

276 (0)

2.1 (1.8–2.5)

519 (0)

5.3 (4.9–5.7)

0.41 (0.34–0.48)

PCB99 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

275 (0)

0.013 (0.011–0.015)

517 (0)

0.026 (0.023–0.029)

0.51 (0.43–0.60)

PCB99 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

275 (0)

2.2 (1.9–2.5)

517 (0)

4.2 (3.8–4.7)

0.52 (0.44–0.61)

PCB118 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

275 (0)

0.019 (0.016–0.023)

516 (0)

0.037 (0.033–0.042)

0.51 (0.40–0.64)

PCB118 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

275 (0)

3.2 (2.7–3.7)

516 (0)

6.1 (5.5–6.8)

0.52 (0.41–0.65)

PCB138 & 158 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

276 (0)

0.037 (0.032–0.044)

517 (0)

0.097 (0.086–0.11)

0.38 (0.31–0.47)

PCB138 & 158 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

High

128 (0)

8.8 (7.3–11)

517 (0)

16 (14–18)

0.55 (0.44–0.69)

PCB138 & 158 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

276 (0)

6.2 (5.3–7.2)

517 (0)

16 (14–18)

0.39 (0.32–0.48)

PCB146 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

High

127 (4)

1.1 (0.87–1.4)

519 (4)

2.3 (2.0–2.5)

0.48 (0.37–0.63)

PCB146 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

275 (8)

0.0052 (0.0044–0.0061)

519 (4)

0.014 (0.012–0.016)

0.37 (0.3–0.46)

PCB146 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

275 (8)

0.86 (0.73–1.0)

519 (4)

2.3 (2.0–2.5)

0.38 (0.31–0.47)

PCB153 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

High

127 (0)

11 (9.1–13)

519 (0)

22 (20–24)

0.50 (0.41–0.63)

PCB153 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

275 (0)

0.046 (0.038–0.055)

519 (0)

0.13 (0.12–0.15)

0.35 (0.28–0.43)

PCB153 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

275 (0)

7.7 (6.4–9.1)

519 (0)

22 (20–24)

0.36 (0.29–0.44)

PCB156 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

273 (81)

0.0034 (0.002–0.0056)

515 (43)

0.019 (0.017–0.021)

0.18 (0.11–0.31)

PCB156 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

273 (81)

0.58 (0.36–0.93)

515 (43)

3.1 (2.7–3.4)

0.19 (0.11–0.31)

PCB170 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

High

127 (6)

3.2 (2.6–4.0)

517 (5)

6.2 (5.8–6.7)

0.52 (0.41–0.65)

PCB170 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

273 (17)

0.011 (0.0091–0.014)

517 (5)

0.038 (0.035–0.041)

0.30 (0.23–0.39)

PCB170 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

273 (17)

1.9 (1.5–2.4)

517 (5)

6.2 (5.8-6.7)

0.31 (0.24–0.39)

PCB177 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

273 (92)

0.0024 (0.0018–0.0033)

515 (67)

0.0069 (0.0062–0.0077)

0.35 (0.26–0.47)

PCB177 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

273 (92)

0.41 (0.31–0.55)

515 (67)

1.1 (1.0–1.3)

0.36 (0.27–0.49)

PCB180 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

High

128 (1)

8.2 (6.3–11)

517 (2)

17 (16–19)

0.48 (0.36–0.62)

PCB180 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

276 (4)

0.031 (0.024–0.039)

517 (2)

0.11 (0.096–0.12)

0.29 (0.23–0.38)

PCB180 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

276 (4)

5.2 (4.1–6.4)

517 (2)

17 (16–19)

0.30 (0.24–0.38)

PCB183 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

274 (45)

0.0036 (0.0029–0.0044)

518 (35)

0.0097 (0.0089–0.011)

0.37 (0.30–0.46)

PCB183 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

274 (45)

0.60 (0.50–0.72)

518 (35)

1.6 (1.5–1.7)

0.38 (0.31–0.46)

PCB187 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

275 (8)

0.0093 (0.0073–0.012)

519 (8)

0.028 (0.025–0.031)

0.34 (0.26–0.44)

PCB187 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

275 (8)

1.6 (1.2–2.0)

519 (8)

4.5 (4.1–5.0)

0.35 (0.27–0.45)

PCB194 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

265 (98)

0.0029 (0.0016–0.0052)

508 (53)

0.02 (0.018–0.023)

0.14 (0.079–0.25)

PCB194 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

265 (98)

0.50 (0.29–0.87)

508 (53)

3.4 (3.1–3.7)

0.15 (0.085–0.26)

PCB196 & 203 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

274 (63)

0.0038 (0.0025–0.0058)

517 (35)

0.019 (0.017–0.021)

0.20 (0.13–0.31)

PCB196 & 203 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

274 (63)

0.65 (0.44–0.97)

517 (35)

3.1 (2.8–3.4)

0.21 (0.14–0.32)

PCB199 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

272 (69)

0.0036 (0.0023–0.0057)

509 (38)

0.021 (0.018–0.023)

0.18 (0.11–0.29)

PCB199 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

272 (69)

0.62 (0.39–0.96)

509 (38)

3.4 (3.0–3.8)

0.18 (0.11–0.29)

PCB206 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

271 (41)

0.0041 (0.0029–0.0057)

513 (17)

0.015 (0.013–0.017)

0.27 (0.19–0.39)

PCB206 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

271 (41)

0.69 (0.50–0.95)

513 (17)

2.4 (2.2–2.7)

0.28 (0.20–0.39)

PCB209 (ng/g, serum)

MA

Low

269 (32)

0.0034 (0.0026–0.0044)

510 (17)

0.0092 (0.0078–0.011)

0.37 (0.27–0.51)

PCB209 (ng/g, serum, lipid-adj.)

MA

Low

269 (32)

0.57 (0.44–0.73)

510 (17)

1.5 (1.3–1.7)

0.38 (0.28–0.51)

Metals (2007–2008)

BARIUM (ug/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

High

284 (2)

0.87 (0.79–0.96)

581 (3)

1.9 (1.7–2.1)

0.46 (0.40–0.54)

BARIUM (ug/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

Low

264 (6)

0.84 (0.72–0.99)

581 (3)

1.9 (1.7–2.1)

0.45 (0.36–0.56)

CESIUM (ug/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

High

284 (0)

3.6 (3.4–3.9)

581 (0)

4.8 (4.6–5.1)

0.75 (0.68–0.83)

CESIUM (ug/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

Low

264 (0)

3.2 (3.0–3.4)

581 (0)

4.8 (4.6–5.1)

0.66 (0.59–0.73)

COBALT (ug/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

High

284 (0)

0.30 (0.28–0.32)

581 (2)

0.39 (0.37–0.41)

0.76 (0.71–0.82)

MERCURY, TOTAL (ug/L, blood)

MA

Low

1,056 (314)

0.53 (0.47–0.59)

1,819 (375)

0.82 (0.73–0.93)

0.65 (0.55–0.76)

MERCURY, TOTAL (ug/L, blood)

NHW

Low

1,438 (503)

0.48 (0.4–0.59)

1,819 (375)

0.82 (0.73–0.93)

0.59 (0.51–0.69)

Perchlorate (2003–2004)

PERCHLORATE (ug/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

High

233 (0)

2.1 (1.7–2.5)

673 (0)

3.7 (3.3–4.1)

0.57 (0.46–0.70)

PERCHLORATE (ug/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

Low

365 (0)

2.5 (2.2–2.8)

673 (0)

3.7 (3.3–4.1)

0.67 (0.61–0.73)

PFCs (2007–2008)

PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONIC ACID (ug/L, blood)

MA

Low

234 (0)

9.6 (8.4–11)

500 (1)

14 (13–16)

0.67 (0.57–0.78)

PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID (ug/L, blood)

MA

Low

234 (0)

3.3 (3.0–3.6)

500 (0)

4.5 (4.3–4.8)

0.73 (0.66–0.80)

PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID (ug/L, blood)

NHB

Low

204 (1)

3.5 (3.3–3.8)

500 (0)

4.5 (4.3–4.8)

0.78 (0.74–0.83)

Phenols (2007–2008)

BENZOPHENONE-3 (ng/mL, urine)

NHB

High

258 (18)

8.1 (6.1–11)

588 (20)

30 (18–49)

0.27 (0.16–0.45)

 

BENZOPHENONE-3 (ng/g, urine, creatinine-adj.)

NHB

High

258 (18)

6.0 (4.6–7.6)

588 (20)

31 (19–52)

0.19 (0.11–0.32)

  1. Notes: (a) Biomarkers were assigned to chemical groups on the basis of chemical consistency and groupings from the NHANES laboratory files. Biomonitoring data for the results in the table come from NHANES 2007–2008 for metals, PFCs, and phenols; and from NHANES 2003–2004 for halogenated aromatics and perchlorate. (b) MA – Mexican American, NHB – non-Hispanic black, NHW – non-Hispanic white; Low income corresponds to family PIR < 2, High income corresponds to family PIR ≥ 2 (PIR is the poverty income ratio). (c) The number of observations is unweighted. The number of non-detects (ND) is reported in parentheses. (d) The point estimate, followed by the range estimate in parentheses. The range estimate is a 95% confidence interval unadjusted for multiple comparisons. GM and GMR estimates are rounded to two significant figures. (e) The reference subgroup was non-Hispanic white/High income.
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