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Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities
Organochlorine pesticides
Thirteen organochlorine pesticides and organochlorine pesticide metabolites are examined in the National Report. One is detected throughout each racial/ethnic group, nine are detected in some members of each group, and three are not detected at the 95thpercentile in any group.
Of the three chemicals detected broadly enough to develop a geometric mean, the geometric mean is higher for one chemical in each racial/ethnic groups.
Ten chemicals are detected at the 95th percentile. One chemical is only found in Blacks, another is only found in Blacks and Mexican-Americans, and eight are found in all groups at the 95th percentile. Three of the chemicals are found in Mexican-Americans at levels that are up to, on average, 255% greater than in Blacks and Whites. However, when the highest level at the 95th percentile is in Blacks or Whites, the levels are up to, on average, 34% greater than the other two groups.
Organochlorine pesticides were widely used in the United States from the 1940's until the 1970's. Most have since been banned or restricted to limited use in agriculture due to harmful health and environmental impacts from exposure. DDT, one of the better known organochlorine pesticides, is still detected in Blacks and Mexican-Americans despite having been banned thirty years ago. The National Report is evidence that a portion of the Mexican-American population is exposed to disproportionately high levels of organochlorine pesticides.
Organochlorine pesticides
(note - no data indicates non-detect)
| Organochlorine pesticides | Race/ ethnicity |
Geometric mean (ng/g) |
95th percentile (ng/g) |
Findings |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population | |||
| beta-Hexachlorobenzene | Black | 48.9 | The beta-hexachlorobenzene level in Mexican-Americans
at the 95th percentile is up to 284% greater than in Blacks
and Whites.
Beta-hexachlorobenzene is detected at the 75th percentile in Blacks and Whites and the 50th percentile in Mexican-Americans. |
|
| Mexican-American | 16.7 | 139 | ||
| White | 51.3 | |||
| gamma-Hexachlorobenzene
(lindane) |
Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population | |||
| p,p'-DDT | Black | 25.7 | The p,p'-DDT level in Mexican-Americans
at the 95th percentile is 584% greater than in Blacks.
p,p'-DDT is not detected in Whites, is detected at the 95th percentile in Blacks, and is detected at the 90th percentile in Mexican-Americans. |
|
| Mexican-American | 150 | |||
| White | ||||
| p,p'-DDE
(DDT metabolite) |
Black | 295 | 2160 | The average p,p'-DDE level in Mexican-Americans
is 210% greater than in Whites. The average p,p'-DDE level in Blacks
is 36% greater than in Whites.
The p,p'-DDE in Mexican-Americans at the 95th percentile is up to 406% greater than in Blacks and Whites. |
| Mexican-American | 674 | 4940 | ||
| White | 217 | 1220 | ||
| o,p'-DDT | Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population | |||
| Oxychlordane
(chlordane metabolite) |
Black | 44.7 | The oxychlordane level in Whites and Blacks
at the 95% percentile is 9% greater than in Mexican-Americans.
Oxychlordane is detected at the 90th percentile in Blacks and the 75th percentile in Mexican-Americans and Whites. |
|
| Mexican-American | 41.1 | |||
| White | 44.8 | |||
| trans-Nonachlor
(chlordane) |
Black | 20.3 | 90.0 | The average trans-nonachlor level in Blacks
is 6% greater than in Whites.
The trans-nonachlor level in Blacks at the 95th percentile is up to 60% greater than in Mexican-Americans and Whites. Trans-nonachlor is detected at the 75th percentile in Mexican-Americans and the 50th percentile in Blacks and Whites. |
| Mexican-American | 56.3 | |||
| White | 19.1 | 78.5 | ||
| Heptachlor epoxide
(heptachlor metabolite) |
Black | 16.8 | The heptachlor epoxide level in Whites
at the 95th percentile is up to 57% greater than in Mexican-Americans
and Blacks.
Heptachlor epoxide is detected at the 95th percentile in Blacks and the 90th percentile in Mexican-Americans and Whites. |
|
| Mexican-American | 22.2 | |||
| White | 26.4 | |||
| Mirex | Black | 18.8 | Mirex is only detected in the 95th percentile in Blacks. | |
| Mexican-American | ||||
| White | ||||
| Pentachlorophenol | Black | 1.34 | The Pentachlorophenol level in Blacks at
the 95th percentile is up to 41% greater than in Mexican-Americans
and Whites.
Pentachlorophenol is detected at the 95th percentile in Mexican-Americans and Whites and the 90th percentile in Blacks. |
|
| Mexican-American | .947 | |||
| White | 1.13 | |||
| 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol
(metabolite of HCH, HCB, and pentachlorophenol) |
Black | 6.79 | The 2,4,5-trichlorophenol level in Mexican-Americans
is up to 74% greater than in Blacks and Whites.
2,4,5-trichlorophenol is detected at the 75th percentile in all groups. |
|
| Mexican-American | 11.8 | |||
| White | 9.55 | |||
| 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
(metabolite of HCH, HCB, and pentachlorophenol) |
Black | 2.13 | 19.4 | The average 2,4,6-trichlorophenol level
in Whites is 22% greater than in Blacks and 6% greater than in Mexican-Americans.
The 2,4,6-trichlorophenol level in Whites at the 95th percentile is up to 7% greater that Blacks and Mexican-Americans. 2,4,6-trichlorophenol is detected at the 50th percentile in Mexican-Americans and 25th percentile in Blacks and Whites. |
| Mexican-American | 2.43 | 18.3 | ||
| White | 2.59 | 19.6 | ||
