Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities
Pest repellants and Disinfectants
Four pest
repellants and disinfectants are examined in the National Report.
One is detected in each racial/ethnic group at the 25th percentile,
two are are detected in each group at the 50th percentile, and one
is not detected.
Of the three chemicals detected broadly enough to develop a geometric mean,
two had the highest geometric mean in Mexican-Americans and one had the
highest mean in Blacks.
Three chemicals are detected at the 95th percentile. Two are detected
in Mexican-Americans at a level up to, on average, 415% greater than in Blacks and Whites.
The other is detected in Blacks at a level up to 250% greater than Mexican-Americans
and Whites.
Pest repellants and disinfectants are widely used. Environmental
justice organizations have focused on the exposure of workers
to these chemicals. The National Report is evidence that the
Mexican-American populations have the greatest overall exposure
to pest repellants and disinfectants and that a portion of the
Black and Mexican-American populations are exposed to disproportionately
high levels of pest repellants and disinfectants.
Pest repellants and Disinfectants
(note - no data indicates non-detect)
| Pest repellants and disinfectants |
Race/ ethnicity |
Geometric mean
(ug/g)
|
95th percentile (ug/g) |
Findings |
2-Napthol
(naphthalene metabolite)
|
Black |
.543 |
24.0 |
The 2-napthol level for Blacks at the
95th percentile is up to 250% greater than in Mexican-Americans
and Whites.
2-napthol is detected in all groups at the 50th
percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
.501 |
9.6 |
| White |
|
14.5 |
p-Dichlorobenzene
(DCB)
(2,5-Dichlorophenol metabolite)
|
Black |
10.7 |
433 |
The average DCB level in Blacks is
197% greater than in Whites. The average DCB level in Mexican-Americans
is 258% greater than in Whites.
The DCB level in Mexican-Americans at the 95th
percentile is up to 579% greater than for Blacks and Whites.
DCB is detected at the 25th percentile
in all groups.
|
| Mexican-American |
12.9 |
1170 |
| White |
3.60 |
202 |
N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide
(DEET)
|
Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population |
| Ortho-phenylphenol |
Black |
.382 |
1.69 |
The average ortho-phenylphenol level
in Mexican-Americans is 12% greater than in Whites. The average
ortho-phenylphenol level in Whites is 15% greater than in Blacks.
The ortho-phenylphenol level in Mexican-Americans
at the 95th percentile is up to 273% greater than in
Blacks and Whites.
Ortho-phenylphenol is detected in all groups at
the 50th percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
.492 |
4.61 |
| White |
.438 |
2.93 |
| 
