What to know
- CDC's National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals provides cumulative summary data for chemicals measured in NHANES beginning with the 1999–2000 cycle.
- This update includes newly updated data tables representing 76 chemicals. (20 chemicals measured in serum, 46 chemicals measured in whole blood, and 10 chemicals measured in urine).
- Updated chemical groups include pyrethroids, herbicides, organophosphorus metabolites, metals and metalloids, perchlorate and other anions, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), select dioxins, furans, and coplanar PCBs.
- Several of the new updates incorporate NHANES August 2021–August 2023 data, the first data collected after major operational changes following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Due to the suspension of NHANES 2019–2020 field operations in March 2020, partial data from that cycle were combined with the 2017–2018 cycle using additional weighting adjustments to produce nationally representative NHANES 2017–March 2020 pre-pandemic data, with full analytic guidance available from NCHS.
- Data tables based on NHANES pooled serum samples (2013–2014) are updated for PCDDs, PCDFs, and coplanar PCBs.
- Beginning in 2011, NHANES classifies the Asian category as Non-Hispanic Asian to align with updated sampling and coding practices, and the National Exposure Report reflects this terminology change without affecting estimates.
- Beginning with this release, the National Exposure Report replaces "Gender" with "Sex" in pooled table headers to comply with Executive Order 14168, with no changes to underlying data, methods, or estimates.
Updated and revised chemical data tables available
CDC's National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (referred to as the National Exposure Report) includes summary data for chemicals that have results available from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)* starting with the 1999–2000 cycle. The National Exposure Report is cumulative and includes all data tables previously published. This version of the National Exposure Report:
- Updates 40 data tables for 20 chemicals measured in serum specimens
- Updates 46 data tables for 46 chemicals measured in whole blood specimens
- Updates 20 data tables for 10 chemicals measured in urine specimens
Chemicals with updated data
Metals and Metalloids (NHANES August 2021–August 2023)
Found in Analysis of Whole Blood, Serum, and Urine Samples, NHANES August 2021–August 2023
- Blood Cadmium
- Blood Ethyl Mercury
- Blood Inorganic Mercury
- Blood Lead
- Blood Manganese
- Blood Methyl Mercury
- Blood Selenium
- Blood Total Mercury
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) (NHANES August 2021–August 2023)
Found in Analysis of Whole Blood, Serum, and Urine Samples, NHANES August 2021–August 2023
- Blood 1,1,1-Trichloroethane (Methyl chloroform)
- Blood 1,2,3-Trichloropropane
- Blood 1,2-Dichlorobenzene (o-Dichlorobenzene)
- Blood 1,2-Dichloroethane (Ethylene dichloride)
- Blood 1,3-Dichlorobenzene (m-Dichlorobenzene)
- Blood 1,4-Dichlorobenzene (p-Dichlorobenzene)
- Blood 2,5-Dimethylfuran
- Blood α-pinene
- Blood Benzene
- Blood Benzonitrile
- Blood Bromodichloromethane
- Blood Chlorobenzene (Monochlorobenzene)
- Blood Chloroethane
- Blood Cyclohexane
- Blood Dibromochloromethane (Chlorodibromomethane)
- Blood Dichloromethane (Methylene chloride)
- Blood Diethyl ether
- Blood Ethyl acetate
- Blood Ethylbenzene
- Blood Furan
- Blood Isobutyronitrile
- Blood Isopropylbenzene
- Blood m-/p-Xylene
- Blood Methyl Isobutyl Ketone
- Blood Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE)
- Blood Methylcyclopentane
- Blood n-Heptane
- Blood n-Hexane
- Blood n-Octane
- Blood o-Xylene
- Blood Styrene
- Blood Tetrachloroethene (Perchloroethylene)
- Blood Tetrachloromethane (Carbon tetrachloride)
- Blood Tetrahydrofuran
- Blood Toluene
- Blood Tribromomethane (Bromoform)
- Blood Trichloroethene (Trichloroethylene)
- Blood Trichloromethane (Chloroform)
Metals and Metalloids (NHANES 2017–March 2020)
Found in Analysis of Whole Blood, Serum, and Urine Samples, NHANES 2017–March 2020
- Urinary Total Arsenic
Perchlorate and Other Anions (NHANES 2017–March 2020)
Found in Analysis of Whole Blood, Serum, and Urine Samples, NHANES 2017–March 2020
- Urinary Perchlorate
Pyrethroids, Herbicides, and Organophosphorus Metabolites (NHANES 2017-2018)
Found in Analysis of Whole Blood, Serum, and Urine Samples, NHANES 1999-2018
- Urinary 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)
- Urinary 2-Isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine (IMPY)
- Urinary 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY)
- Urinary 3-Phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA)
- Urinary 4-Fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4-F-3-PBA)
- Urinary Malathion diacid (MDA)
- Urinary para-Nitrophenol (PNP)
- Urinary trans-3-(2,2-Dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (trans-DCCA)
Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins – (NHANES 2013-2014)
Found in Analysis of Pooled Serum Samples for Select Chemicals, NHANES 2013-2014
- Serum 1,2,3,7,8-Pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (PeCDD) (whole weight)
- Serum 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,4,7,8-Hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HxCDD) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,6,7,8-Hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HxCDD) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-Heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HpCDD) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,7,8,9-Hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HxCDD) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-Octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) (whole weight)
Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans – (NHANES 2013-2014)
Found in Analysis of Pooled Serum Samples for Select Chemicals, NHANES 2013-2014
- Serum 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,7,8-Pentachlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 2,3,4,7,8-Pentachlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,4,7,8-Hexachlorodibenzofuran (HxCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,6,7,8-Hexachlorodibenzofuran (HxCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 2,3,4,6,7,8-Hexachlorodibenzofuran (HxCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-Heptachlorodibenzofuran (HpCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,7,8,9-Hexachlorodibenzofuran (HxCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,4,7,8,9-Heptachlorodibenzofuran (HpCDF) (whole weight)
- Serum 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-Octachlorodibenzofuran (OCDF) (whole weight)
Dioxin-like Polychlorinated Biphenyls: coplanar PCBs – (NHANES 2013-2014)
Found in Analysis of Pooled Serum Samples for Select Chemicals, NHANES 2013-2014
- Serum 3,3',4,4',5,5'-Hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 169) (whole weight)
- Serum 3,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) (whole weight)
- Serum 3,4,4',5-Tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 81) (whole weight)
Update to NHANES demographic category: labeling non-Hispanic Asian participants (2011–present)
Beginning with the 2011–2012 NHANES cycle, race–ethnicity coding was updated to support the oversampling of Asian participants, with the Asian category defined specifically as Non-Hispanic Asian. Under this structure, Hispanic individuals who identify as Asian are classified by Hispanic origin rather than as Asian, consistent with longstanding NHANES rules.
To accurately reflect this data structure, the National Exposure Report will label this group as "Non-Hispanic Asian" for all data years from 2011 onward. This change aligns terminology with NHANES sample design and coding practices and prevents misinterpretation of who is included in the category. The update is purely a clarification in labeling and does not alter demographic definitions or affect published estimates.
For more information on Demographic Variables & Sample Weights, visit: NHANES 2011–2012 DEMO Data File.
Update to pooled table headers: "gender" replaced with "sex"
In accordance with Executive Order 14168 (January 20, 2025), federal agencies are required to use the term "sex", defined strictly as an individual's immutable biological classification, as the standard terminology in all official documents, forms, and communications.
To comply with this directive, the National Exposure Report (NER) has updated its pooled table column headers. Beginning with this installment release and continuing forward, the column header previously labeled "Gender" will now be labeled "Sex".
This change reflects a terminology update only and does not alter underlying NHANES data, analytic methods, or reported estimates.
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