What to know
- The Updated Tables, August 2014, include results from NHANES survey periods 2007-2008 or 2011-2012.
- Results for several chemicals will not be reported after NHANES 2009-2010 due to undetectable concentrations in previous survey periods.
- Previously released data tables for urinary pesticides and metabolites now include results for ages 60 years and older in the NHANES 2001-2002 results.
- Special sample of adult smokers and nonsmokers was used to measure select chemical groups associated with tobacco smoke exposure.
Updated Tables, August 2014
The Updated Tables in this release include chemicals that have results available from the NHANES survey periods 2007-2008 or 2011-2012. New chemicals measured for the first time include ethyl mercury, methyl mercury, selenium, and manganese in whole blood. Urinary metabolites of several volatile organic compounds and urine manganese, strontium, and tin were measured in a special sample of adult smokers and nonsmokers.
Chemicals with updated data in this release are serum cotinine; urinary NNAL; metals in whole blood; and urinary metabolites of pyrethroids, herbicides, and specific organophosphorus pesticides.
Results for several chemicals will not be reported after NHANES 2009-2010 because their concentrations have been largely undetectable in previous survey periods. These chemicals are urinary beryllium and platinum; urinary 4-tert-octylphenol; urinary o-phenylphenol; the urinary organochlorine pesticide metabolites 2,4,5-trichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol; and the urinary phthalate metabolites, mono-cyclohexyl phthalate and mono-n-octyl phthalate. The phytoestrogen group of chemicals is not reported after NHANES 2009-2010 because the largely dietary sources remain unchanged, and urine concentrations of the phytoestrogens and metabolites have been relatively stable from 1999-2010.
Previously released data tables for several urinary pesticides and metabolites did not include results for ages 60 years and older in the NHANES 2001-2002 results. These results are included in the current Updated Tables. Therefore, sample sizes are larger and geometric means and percentile estimates are slightly different for several of the 2001-2002 categories in these data tables compared with previous tables. The 11 affected chemicals are four pyrethroid metabolites, three specific organophosphorus metabolites, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and two carbamate metabolites.
Adult Cigarette Smokers and Nonsmokers: Analysis of Selected Chemicals in a Special Sample
Beginning with the NHANES 2011-2012 survey period, a special sample of adults (age 20 years and older) was used to measure select chemical groups that are associated with tobacco smoke exposure. This special sample includes adults who reported that they currently smoke cigarettes. Results for these chemicals are provided in the section, Adult Cigarette Smokers and Nonsmokers: Analysis of Select Chemicals in a Special Sample. The chemicals included in this section are urinary metals and arsenic species; urinary perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate; urinary metabolites of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); and urinary metabolites of several volatile organic compounds. Future Updated Tables will present additional data for the special sample as results become available.
For the information in this section, “What’s New and Different,” contained in previous releases of Updated Tables, please see the archives from Updated Tables.