A new study reveals the a clever, yet shocking way to tell apart the rich from the poor: by examining the toxins in their bodies. The UK-based study is titled, “Associations between socioeconomic status and environmental toxicant concentrations in adults in the USA.”

The study found the richer people tended to have higher levels of mercury, arsenic, benzophenone and caesium, most likely due to ” fish and shellfish consumption” and “sunscreen.”

We’ve found that as people become better off, changes in their lifestyle alter the types of chemicals in their bodies, rather than reducing the overall amount,” Dr. Jessica Tyrrell told the Daily Mail. ‘This realization has a profound impact on the way we treat chemical build-ups, suggesting we should move to dealing with groups based on lifestyle, rather than earnings.”

In contrast, lead and cadmium were prevalent toxins found in poor people, which was “partially mediated by smoking, occupation and diet,” the University of Exeter found. They also had higher levels of BPA, a toxin commonly found in plastics and metal-based cans.

These results provide a comprehensive analysis of exposure patterns as a function of socioeconomic status in US adults, providing important information to guide future public health remediation measures to decrease toxicant and disease burdens within society,” reads the study’s abstract.

Dr. Tyrell agreed, stating, “This study has produced a robust analysis of how the accumulation of these chemicals relates to socioeconomic status, giving us an important understanding that will help to inform strategies aimed at improving health.”