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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Sep 5.
Published in final edited form as: Environ Res. 2014 Aug 29;134:257–264. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.07.019

Table 3.

Adjusted Estimatesa for Methyl and Total Mercury (μg/L) at Selected Ages By Racial/Ethnic Category, NHANES 2011–2012

Methyl Mercury Total Mercury
Category Age in Years LSGM 95% CI LSGM 95% CI
Males 39.7 0.66b 0.56, 0.78 0.90c 0.78, 1.04
Females 39.7 0.61 0.51, 0.73 0.84 0.73, 0.97
Non-Hispanic White:
  2.5 0.13 0.10, 0.16 0.21 0.16, 0.26
  5 0.15 0.12, 0.18 0.24 0.19, 0.30
10 0.19 0.16, 0.24 0.30 0.25, 0.37
15 0.25 0.21, 0.30 0.38 0.31, 0.45
25 0.38 0.31, 0.45 0.55 0.46, 0.65
40 0.58 0.47, 0.71 0.81 0.68, 0.96
50 0.68 0.54, 0.85 0.94 0.79, 1.13
60 0.72 0.55, 0.93 1.00 0.82, 1.22
80 0.60 0.42, 0.85 0.87 0.66, 1.13
Non-Hispanic Black:
  2.5 0.19 0.15, 0.24 0.29 0.24, 0.35
  5 0.22 0.17, 0.27 0.32 0.27, 0.39
10 0.28 0.22, 0.35 0.40 0.33, 0.48
15 0.35 0.27, 0.44 0.48 0.40, 0.58
25 0.50 0.39, 0.64 0.66 0.54, 0.81
40 0.71 0.55, 0.93 0.90 0.73, 1.12
50 0.80 0.61, 1.05 0.99 0.79, 1.24
60 0.80 0.61, 1.07 0.99 0.79, 1.25
80 0.61 0.43, 0.85 0.76 0.57, 1.00
Mexican Americand:
  2.5 0.15 0.12, 0.19 0.26 0.21, 0.30
  5 0.17 0.14, 0.22 0.28 0.24, 0.33
10 0.21 0.17, 0.26 0.34 0.29, 0.39
15 0.26 0.21, 0.31 0.40 0.35, 0.46
25 0.35 0.29, 0.41 0.52 0.46, 0.59
40 0.44 0.38, 0.53 0.65 0.58, 0.72
50 0.46 0.39, 0.54 0.67 0.60, 0.74
60 0.43 0.36, 0.51 0.63 0.55, 0.71
80 0.28 0.21, 0.36 0.42 0.33, 0.53
All Hispanic:
  2.5 0.17 0.14, 0.20 0.27 0.23, 0.32
  5 0.19 0.16, 0.23 0.30 0.26, 0.35
10 0.24 0.20, 0.29 0.38 0.33, 0.43
15 0.30 0.25, 0.36 0.46 0.40, 0.52
25 0.43 0.36, 0.52 0.62 0.55, 0.71
40 0.62 0.50, 0.76 0.85 0.73, 0.98
50 0.69 0.55, 0.85 0.93 0.79, 1.09
60 0.69 0.54, 0.88 0.93 0.78, 1.11
80 0.52 0.37, 0.71 0.71 0.55, 0.91
Asian:
  2.5 0.40 0.29, 0.56 0.55 0.43, 0.70
  5 0.47 0.34, 0.64 0.62 0.50, 0.79
10 0.62 0.47, 0.82 0.81 0.66, 0.99
15 0.81 0.62, 1.04 1.02 0.84, 1.23
25 1.25 1.00, 1.57 1.51 1.27, 1.79
40 2.00 1.62, 2.48 2.31 1.95, 2.73
50 2.41 1.95, 2.99 2.73 2.30, 3.25
60 2.63 2.11, 3.28 2.96 2.48, 3.54
80 2.30 1.75, 3.03 2.66 2.12, 3.33
a

Model based least squares geometric means (LSGM) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for males and females were computed at a weighted mean age of 39.7 years and were adjusted for race/ethnicity, age, age2, and the interaction between race/ethnicity and age. LSGMs and their 95% CIs for various racial groups at selected ages were adjusted for sex using a multiple regression model that included the non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Asian, and All Hispanic groups, except where noted (see footnote d with regard to Mexican Americans).

b

The methyl Mercury LSGM for males was significantly higher (p=0.0119) by 8.9% (95% CI: 2.2%–16.1%) than that for females.

c

The total Mercury LSGM for males was significantly higher (p=0.0037) by 7.4% (95% CI: 2.72%–12.3%) than that for females.

d

Because Mexican Americans represent a subset of the All Hispanic group, the LSGM estimates are based on a separate multiple regression model that included the non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Asian, and Mexican American groups only.