Background: Each year, the U.S. NHANES measures hundreds of chemical biomarkers in samples from thousands of study participants. These biomarker measurements are used to establish population reference ranges, track exposure trends, identify population subsets with elevated exposures, and prioritize research needs. There is now interest in further utilizing the NHANES data to inform chemical risk assessments.

Objectives: This article highlights a ) the extent to which U.S. NHANES chemical biomarker data have been evaluated, b ) groups of chemicals that have been studied, c ) data analysis approaches and challenges, and d ) opportunities for using these data to inform risk assessments.

Methods: A literature search (1999–2013) was performed to identify publications in which U.S. NHANES data were reported. Manual curation identified only the subset of publications that clearly utilized chemical biomarker data. This subset was evaluated for chemical groupings, data analysis approaches, and overall trends.

Results: A small percentage of the sampled NHANES-related publications reported on chemical biomarkers (8% yearly average). Of 11 chemical groups, metals/metalloids were most frequently evaluated (49%), followed by pesticides (9%) and environmental phenols (7%). Studies of multiple chemical groups were also common (8%). Publications linking chemical biomarkers to health metrics have increased dramatically in recent years. New studies are addressing challenges related to NHANES data interpretation in health risk contexts.

Conclusions: This article demonstrates growing use of NHANES chemical biomarker data in studies that can impact risk assessments. Best practices for analysis and interpretation must be defined and adopted to allow the full potential of NHANES to be realized.

Citation: Sobus JR, DeWoskin RS, Tan YM, Pleil JD, Phillips MB, George BJ, Christensen K, Schreinemachers DM, Williams MA, Cohen Hubal EA, Edwards SW. 2015. Uses of NHANES biomarker data for chemical risk assessment: trends, challenges, and opportunities. Environ Health Perspect 123:919–927;  http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409177

Address correspondence to J.R. Sobus, 109 T.W. Alexander Dr., Mail Code E205-04, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 USA. Telephone: (919) 541-2232. E-mail: sobus.jon@epa.gov

We thank S. Bell and D. Lemmons for their assistance with the literature search and review, and J. Rager for her critical evaluation of the manuscript.

Current address for M.B.P., Division of Environmental Health, Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; for K.C., Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health, Wisconsin Division of Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; and for M.A.W., Toxicology Portfolio – Health Effects Research Program, Army Public Health Center (Provisional), Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, USA.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through its Office of Research and Development, funded and managed the research described here. It has been subjected to Agency administrative review and approved for publication. M.B.P. was supported by an appointment to the Internship/Research Participation Program at the Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. EPA.

The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial interests.

Received: 5 September 2014 Accepted: 1 April 2015 Advance Publication: 10 April 2015 Final Publication: 1 October 2015

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