Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities
Metals
Thirteen metals
are examined in the National Report. Nine are detected throughout
each racial/ethnic group, two are detected in each group at
the 50th percentile, and two are not detected at the 95th percentile
in any group.
Of the eleven chemicals detected broadly enough to develop a geometric mean, the geometric mean is highest for four chemicals in Mexican-Americans and seven chemicals in Whites.
Eleven chemicals are detected at the 95th percentile. One chemical is detected in Blacks at levels that are up to 13% greater than in Mexican-Americans and Whites. Four of the chemicals are detected in Mexican-Americans at levels that are up to, on average, 122% greater than Blacks and Whites. Six of the chemicals are found in Whites at levels that are up to, on average, 32% greater than in Mexican-Americans and Blacks.
Metals are naturally-occurring and widely used. Environmental justice organizations have focused on exposure to metals such as lead and mercury where exposure in a portion of the Black and Mexican-American populations is at levels known to have harmful health impacts. The National Report is evidence that the White population has the greatest overall exposure to metals and that a portion of the Mexican-American population is exposed to disproportionately high levels of metals.
Metals
(note - no data indicates non-detect)
| Metals |
Race/ Ethnicity |
Average level (ug/g) |
95th percentile (ug/g) |
Findings |
| Lead |
Black |
.720 |
2.83 |
The average lead level in Mexican-Americans
is 37% greater than in Whites. The average lead level in Blacks
is 5% greater than in Whites.
The lead level in Mexican-Americans at the 95th
percentile is up to 43% greater than Blacks and Whites.
|
| Mexican-American |
.939 |
3.31 |
| White |
.687 |
2.31 |
| Cadmium |
Black |
.287 |
.929 |
The average cadmium level in Whites
is 8% greater in Whites than in Mexican-Americans or Blacks.
The cadmium level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 20% greater than in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
.286 |
.968 |
| White |
.311 |
1.12 |
| Mercury |
Black |
.666 |
3.99 |
The average mercury level is 6% greater
in Whites than Blacks and 3% greater in Whites than in Mexican-Americans.
The mercury level in Mexican-Americans at the
95th percentile is up to 50% greater than Blacks and
Whites.
|
| Mexican-American |
.685 |
4.51 |
| White |
.706 |
3.05 |
| Cobalt |
Black |
.281 |
.975 |
The average cobalt level in Mexican-Americans
is 5% greater than in Whites. The average cobalt level in Whites
is 30% greater than in Blacks.
The cobalt level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 28% greater than Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
.383 |
1.23 |
| White |
.366 |
1.25 |
| Uranium |
Black |
.005 |
.028 |
The average uranium level in Mexican-Americans
is 114% greater than in Whites. The average uranium level in Whites
is 40% greater than in Blacks.
The uranium level in Mexican-Americans at the
95th percentile is up to 357% greater than in Blacks
and Whites.
Uranium is detected at the 50th percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
.015 |
.100 |
| White |
.007 |
.028 |
| Antimony |
Black |
.113 |
.339 |
The average antimony level in Whites
is 8% greater than in Mexican-Americans and 11% greater than in
Blacks.
The antimony level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 22% greater than in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
.116 |
.327 |
| White |
.125 |
.400 |
| Barium |
Black |
.869 |
4.84 |
The average barium level in Whites
is 29% greater than in Mexican-Americans and 78% greater than in
Blacks.
The barium level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 36% greater than in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
1.20 |
5.31 |
| White |
1.55 |
6.60 |
| Beryllium |
Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population |
| Cesium |
Black |
3.21 |
6.33 |
The average cesium level in Whites
is 7% greater than in Mexican-Americans and 33% greater than in
Blacks.
The cesium level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 37% greater than in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
3.98 |
7.96 |
| White |
4.26 |
8.68 |
| Molybdenum |
Black |
37.2 |
115 |
The average molybdenum level in Whites
is 3% greater than in Mexican Americans and 19% greater than in
Blacks.
The molybdenum level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 50% greater than Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
42.9 |
117 |
| White |
44.4 |
172 |
| Platinum |
Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population |
| Thallium |
Black |
.142 |
.383 |
The average thallium level in Whites
is 7% greater than in Mexican-Americans and 19% greater than in
Blacks.
The thallium level in Blacks at the 95th
percentile is up to 13% greater than Mexican-Americans and Whites.
|
| Mexican-American |
.158 |
.338 |
| White |
.169 |
.364 |
| Tungsten |
Black |
.069 |
.360 |
The average tungsten level in Mexican-Americans
is 19% greater than in Whites. The average tungsten level is 43%
greater in Whites than Blacks.
The tungsten level in Mexican-Americans at the
95th percentile is up to 37% greater than in Blacks
and Whites.
Tungsten is detected in the 25th percentile
in Blacks and Mexican-Americans and the 50th percentile
in Whites.
|
| Mexican-American |
.099 |
.493 |
| White |
.083 |
.383 |
| 
