Environmental Exposure and Racial Disparities
Organophosphate pesticides
Ten organophosphate
pesticides and organophosphate
pesticide metabolites are examined in the National Report. One
is detected in each racial/ethnic group at the 25th percentile, three
are detected in each racial/ethnic group at the 50th percentile, three
are detected in each group at the 75th percentile, one is detected
in each group at the 90th percentile, and two are not detected .
Of the three chemicals detected broadly enough to develop a geometric
mean, two had a higher mean in Whites while one had a higher mean
in Mexican-Americans.
Eight chemicals are detected at the 95th percentile. Four of the
chemicals are found in Mexican-Americans at levels that are up to,
on average, 196% 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, 27% greater than the other two groups.
Organophosphate pesticides are the most widely used insecticides
in the United States. They food
levels of these chemicals are currently under review by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. However, environmental justice organizations
have focused on the exposure of workers to these chemicals. The National
Report is evidence that the White population has the greatest overall
exposure to organochlorine pesticides and that a portion of the Mexican-American
population is exposed to disproportionately high levels of organochlorine
peesticides.
Organophosphate pesticides
(note - no data indicates non-detect)
| Organophosphate pesticides and organophophate
pesticide metabolites |
Race/
ethnicity |
Geometric mean
ug/g |
95th percentile
ug/g |
Findings |
Dimethylphosphate
(DMP)
|
Black |
|
13.9 |
The DMP level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 14% greater than in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
DMP is detected at the 75th percentile
in Whites and the 50th percentile in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
|
15.9 |
| White |
|
15.8 |
Dimethylthiophosphate
(DMTP)
|
Black |
1.45 |
52.1 |
The average DMTP level in Whites is
16% greater than in Blacks and 5% greater than in Mexican-Americans.
The DMTP level in Mexican-Americans at the 95th
percentile is up to 215% greater than in Blacks and Whites.
DMTP is detected in all groups at the 50th
percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
1.60 |
112 |
| White |
1.68 |
54.4 |
Dimethyldithiophosphate
(DMDTP)
|
Black |
|
17.8 |
The DMDTP level in Whites at the 95th
percentile is up to 29% greater than in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
DMDTP is detected in all groups at the 75th
percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
|
16.7 |
| White |
|
21.5 |
Diethylphosphate
(DEP)
|
Black |
1.07 |
11.7 |
The average DEP level in Mexican-Americans
is 17% greater than in Whites. The average DEP level in Blacks is
15% greater than in Whites.
The DEP level in Mexican-Americans at the 95th
percentile is up to 33% greater than in Blacks and Whites.
DEP is detected in all groups at the 50th
percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
1.09 |
15.6 |
| White |
.931 |
12.6 |
Diethylthiophosphate
(DETP)
|
Black |
|
2.89 |
The DETP level in Blacks at the 95th
percentile is up to 12% greater than in Mexican-Americans and Whites.
DETP is detected in all groups at the 50th
percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
|
2.71 |
| White |
|
2.58 |
Diethyldithiophosphate
(DEDTP)
|
Black |
|
.692 |
The DEDTP level in Mexican-Americans
at the 95th percentile is up to 68% greater than in Blacks
and Whites.
DEDTP is detected in all groups at the 50th
percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
|
1.16 |
| White |
|
.875 |
Malathion dicarboxylic acid
(malathion metabolite)
|
Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population |
para-Nitrophenol
(parathion metabolite)
|
Black |
|
3.71 |
The para-nitrophenol level in Mexican-Americans
at the 95th percentile is up to 469% greater than in
Blacks and Whites.
para-nitrophenol is detected in all groups at
the 90th percentile.
|
| Mexican-American |
|
17.4 |
| White |
|
3.75 |
3,5,6-Trichloro-2-pyridinol
(chlorpyrifos metabolite)
|
Black |
1.47 |
8.93 |
The average 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol
level is Whites is 14% greater than in Blacks and Mexican-Americans.
The 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol level in Blacks
at the 95th percentile is up to 54% greater than in
Mexican-Americans and Whites.
3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol is detected in the
25th percentile in Mexican-Americans.
|
| Mexican-American |
1.46 |
5.79 |
| White |
1.66 |
8.44 |
2-Isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hyrdroxypyrimidine
(diazinon metabolite)
|
Not detected in up to 5% of U.S. population |
| 
