Exposure to contemporary pesticides in the U.S. population: NHANES 2011–2016

Summary

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2016, this study characterises population-level exposure to a range of contemporary pesticides in the United States through urinary biomonitoring. The findings likely demonstrate widespread, measurable exposure to multiple pesticide classes across demographic groups, with variation by age, sex, and socioeconomic factors. The paper contributes a nationally representative baseline for exposure assessment and informs ongoing risk characterisation and public health surveillance.

UK applicability

This study is US-specific and reflects pesticide use patterns and dietary exposure routes within that regulatory context; however, the biomonitoring methodology and findings on widespread low-level exposure are broadly relevant to UK public health and regulatory bodies such as the HSE and CRD, particularly given comparable pesticide use in UK arable and horticultural systems.

Key measures

Urinary pesticide metabolite concentrations (ng/mL or µg/L); detection frequency (%); geometric means by age, sex, and race/ethnicity

Outcomes reported

The study measured urinary concentrations of multiple contemporary pesticide metabolites across a nationally representative sample of the US population, reporting prevalence of detection and geometric mean concentrations stratified by demographic subgroups.

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