Biomonitoring Equivalents for N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET)

N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) is widely used as an effective mosquito and tick repellent. DEET is absorbed systemically after applications to skin. Once absorbed, DEET is rapidly metabolized with the predominant metabolite being m-dimethylaminocarbonyl benzoic acid (DBA). DEET and metabolites are predominantly excreted in urine after being absorbed systemically. Exposures to DEET are typically biomonitored via measures of DEET and DBA in urine. In this evaluation, we review available health-based risk assessments and toxicological reference values (TRVs) for DEET and derive Biomonitoring Equivalent (BE) values for interpretation of population biomonitoring data. BEs were derived based on existing TRVs derived by Health Canada, yielding 38 and 23 mg/L DBA in urine for adults and 57 and 34 mg/L DBA in urine in children for the acute oral and intermediate dermal TRVs, respectively. The BEs for unchanged DEET in urine are 21 and 12 mg/L in adults and 4.5 and 2.7 mg/L in children for the acute oral and intermediate dermal TRVs. The BE values derived in this manuscript can serve as a guide to help public health officials and regulators interpret population based DEET biomonitoring data in a public health risk context.