Social disparities in pollutant exposure among children and adolescents in Germany: An analysis of population representative GerES V study (2014-2017)

Abstract

Human exposure to pollutants varies by socio-economic status (SES). We aim to gain insight into social disparities in exposure levels of S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) – a metabolite of benzene, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and lead (Pb) across SES of 3- to 17-year-olds in Germany. Our analyses are based on cross-sectional data from the German Environmental Survey for Children and Adolescents (GerES V). We compared geometric means (GM, incl. 95% confidence intervals (CI) of SPMA in urine, PFOA in blood plasma and Pb in whole blood by SES. We found higher SPMA levels among participants with low SES (GM = 0.11, CI: 0.100.12) compared to those with high SES (GM = 0.08, CI: 0.08-0.09, p≤0.001). Contrastingly, participants with high SES showed higher concentrations of PFOA (GM = 1.42, CI: 1.30-1.55; low SES: GM = 0.84, CI: 0.76-0.94, p≤0.001). For Pb, we found no statistically significant differences between low (GM = 9.58 CI: 8.85-10.37) and high SES (GM = 8.85 CI: 8.13-9.64, p = 0.157). Along with other GerES V human biomonitoring data, results show that the picture of social inequalities is not always clear-cut. Exposure variations depend on pollutants and SES. These differences can be attributed to environmental factors, e.g. building materials or traffic and behaviors, like smoking or breastfeeding. Systematically addressing inequalities in exposure science result in more policy-relevant data and more focused advancements towards the EU’s Zero Pollution Ambition. Highlighting the issue of higher pollutant exposure in disadvantaged communities can foster commitment to transformative change for zero pollution and environmental justice. Quelle: Occupational Hygiene Society of Ireland (2026). Book of Abstracts: OHSI/ISES Europe joint 2026 Workshop; Dublin, Ireland, June 10th – 11th, 2026. Seite 31. https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S1438463926001008-mmc1.pdf (Zugriffdatum 01.10.2026)