title: Novel exposure biomarkers of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET): Data from the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) is a widely used insect repellent in the United States.
  
  
  
  To assess exposure to DEET in a representative sample of persons 6years and older in the U.S. general population from the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
  
  
  
  We analyzed 5348 urine samples by using online solid-phase extraction coupled to isotope dilution-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We used regression models to examine associations of various demographic parameters with urinary concentrations of DEET biomarkers.
  
  
  
  We detected DEET in ~3% of samples and at concentration ranges (>0.08μg/L-45.1μg/L) much lower than those of 3-(diethylcarbamoyl)benzoic acid (DCBA) (>0.48μg/L-30,400μg/L) and N,N-diethyl-3-hydroxymethylbenzamide (DHMB) (>0.09μg/L-332μg/L). DCBA was the most frequently detected metabolite (~84%). Regardless of survey cycle and the person's race/ethnicity or income, adjusted geometric mean concentrations of DCBA were higher in May-Sep than in Oct-Apr. Furthermore, non-Hispanic whites in the warm season were more likely than in the colder months [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=10.83; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.28-35.79] and more likely than non-Hispanic blacks (OR=3.45; 95% CI, 1.51-7.87) to have DCBA concentrations above the 95th percentile.
  
  
  
  The general U.S. population, including school-age children, is exposed to DEET. However, reliance on DEET as the sole urinary biomarker would likely underestimate the prevalence of exposure. Instead, oxidative metabolites of DEET are the most adequate exposure biomarkers. Differences by season of the year based on demographic variables including race/ethnicity likely reflect different lifestyle uses of DEET-containing products.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. Electronic address: Acalafat@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Antonia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Calafat
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
authors.forename: Lee-Yang
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; Battelle Memorial Institute, 2987 Clairmont Rd, Suite 450, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morales-A
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
authors.forename: Liza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valentin-Blasini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003671:DEET / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D044469:Racial Groups; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007302:Insect Repellents; C454677:N,N-diethyl-3-hydroxymethylbenzamide; D003671:DEET
keywords: Biomonitoring; Exposure assessment; Human urine; Insect repellent; NHANES