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Original Articles
- Exposure to Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes and Risk of Depression: A Cross-sectional Study of a National Sample of Korean Adults
- Hyun-Wook Park, Byung-Sun Choi, Bomi Park, Wanhyung Lee, Weon-Young Lee
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2026;59(1):95-104. Published online November 6, 2025
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.25.522
- 1,621 View
- 156 Download
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Abstract
Summary
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Supplementary Material - Objectives
Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) are co-occurring neurotoxicants that are structurally similar aromatic hydrocarbons sharing common metabolic pathways and mechanisms of toxicity. This study investigated the effects of BTEX exposure on depression and aimed to identify the primary contributors to depression risk.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1733 adults from the 2020–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. BTEX exposure was quantified based on urinary metabolite concentrations: S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) for benzene, benzylmercapturic acid for toluene, the sum of phenylglyoxylic acid and mandelic acid for ethylbenzene, and methylhippuric acid for xylenes. Depression was defined according to self-reported physician diagnosis. Logistic regression was used to estimate the risk associated with individual chemicals, while weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was employed to assess mixture effects and identify the primary toxicant. Sensitivity analyses were performed to address potential confounding by tobacco smoke.
Results
Urinary SPMA concentrations were significantly higher in individuals with depression. Logistic regression revealed a significant association between SPMA levels and depression (odds ratio, 2.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.34 to 5.13). Although the overall BTEX mixture was not significantly associated with depression after covariate adjustment in WQS models, SPMA consistently emerged as the major contributor. The association between SPMA and depression remained robust in sensitivity analyses excluding participants exposed to tobacco smoke.
Conclusions
Benzene exposure was associated with an increased risk of depression in the general Korean adult population. Therefore, strengthened environmental regulations on benzene could help reduce the public health burden of depression. -
SummaryKorean summary
본 연구는 2020–2021년 국민건강영양조사 자료를 활용하여 한국 성인에서 요중 벤젠, 톨루엔, 에틸벤젠, 자일렌 대사체 농도와 우울증 위험 간의 연관성을 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 벤젠의 대사체인 요중 S-phenyl-mercapturic acid는 우울증 위험 증가와 연관성을 보였다. 흡연 요인을 제외한 민감도 분석에서도 연관성은 일관되게 유지되어, 벤젠 노출 저감을 위한 환경적 관리 강화가 우울증 예방에 기여할 수 있음을 시사한다.Key Message
This study investigated the association between urinary metabolites of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene and depression risk among Korean adults, using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2020–2021. The findings indicated a significant association between urinary S-phenyl-mercapturic acid, a metabolite of benzene, and an increased risk of depression. This association remained robust after excluding smoking factors, underscoring the potential benefits of improved environmental management in reducing benzene exposure to prevent depression.
- The Role of CYP2B6*6 Gene Polymorphisms in 3,5,6-Trichloro-2-pyridinol Levels as a Biomarker of Chlorpyrifos Toxicity Among Indonesian Farmers
- Jen Fuk Liem, Dwi A. Suryandari, Safarina G. Malik, Muchtaruddin Mansyur, Dewi S. Soemarko, Aria Kekalih, Imam Subekti, Franciscus D. Suyatna, Bertha Pangaribuan
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2022;55(3):280-288. Published online May 16, 2022
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.21.641
- 8,198 View
- 186 Download
- 3 Web of Science
- 4 Crossref
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Abstract
PDFSupplementary Material
- Objectives
One of the most widely used pesticides today is chlorpyrifos (CPF). Cytochrome P450 (CYP)2B6, the most prominent catalyst in CPF bioactivation, is highly polymorphic. The objective of our study was to evaluate the role of CYP2B6*6, which contains both 516G>T and 785A>G polymorphisms, in CPF toxicity, as represented by the concentration of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), among vegetable farmers in Central Java, Indonesia, where CPF has been commonly used.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 132 vegetable farmers. Individual socio-demographic and occupational characteristics, as determinants of TCPy levels, were obtained using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and subsequently used to estimate the cumulative exposure level (CEL). TCPy levels were detected with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. CYP2B6*6 gene polymorphisms were analyzed using a TaqMan® SNP Genotyping Assay and Sanger sequencing. Linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the association between TCPy, as a biomarker of CPF exposure, and its determinants.
Results
The prevalence of CYP2B6*6 polymorphisms was 31% for *1/*1, 51% for *1/*6, and 18% for *6/*6. TCPy concentrations were higher among participants with CYP2B6*1/*1 than among those with *1/*6 or *6/*6 genotypes. CYP2B6*6 gene polymorphisms, smoking, CEL, body mass index, and spraying time were retained in the final linear regression model as determinants of TCPy.
Conclusions
The results suggest that CYP2B6*6 gene polymorphisms may play an important role in influencing susceptibility to CPF exposure. CYP2B6*6 gene polymorphisms together with CEL, smoking habits, body mass index, and spraying time were the determinants of urinary TCPy concentrations, as a biomarker of CPF toxicity. -
Summary
Citations
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- Aplicaciones de la xenometabolómica para la identificación de biomarcadores de toxicidad: una revisión del tema
Juan Pablo Betancourt Arango, Alejandro Patiño Ospina, Gonzalo Taborda Ocampo, Jhon Alexander Fiscal Ladino
Biosalud.2025; 19(1): 7. CrossRef - Pesticide metabolite 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinol causes massive damage to the cochlea resulting in hearing loss in adult mice
Mao Huang, Shuangshuang Mao, Yunfei Pan, Ziying Zhang, Fei Gui, Xiaohua Tan, Yu Hong, Rong Chen
Environmental Pollution.2024; 360: 124691. CrossRef - Human CYP2C19 Substrate and Inhibitor Characterization of Organophosphate Pesticides
Patricia A. Vignaux, Pratik Shriwas, Andre Revnew, Garima Agarwal, Thomas R. Lane, Craig A. McElroy, Sean Ekins
Chemical Research in Toxicology.2023; 36(9): 1451. CrossRef - The determinants of thyroid function among vegetable farmers with primary exposure to chlorpyrifos: A cross-sectional study in Central Java, Indonesia
Jen Fuk Liem, Imam Subekti, Muchtaruddin Mansyur, Dewi S. Soemarko, Aria Kekalih, Franciscus D. Suyatna, Dwi A. Suryandari, Safarina G. Malik, Bertha Pangaribuan
Heliyon.2023; 9(6): e16435. CrossRef
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't- Influencing Facotrs that Affect the Biological Monitoring of Workers Exposed to N,N-Dimethylformamide in Textile Coating Factories.
- In Sung Chung, Jon Ghan Kim, Sang Kug Choi, Jong Youn Bae, Mi Young Lee
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2006;39(2):171-176.
- 2,622 View
- 40 Download
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Abstract
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- OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study is to assess the factors influencing biological monitoring of textile coating factory workers exposed to N,N-dimethylformamide(DMF). METHODS: We studied 35 workers who were occupationally exposed to DMF from 9 textile coating factories. The study was carried out in two phases; summer and winter. While air concentration of DMF, temperature and humidity were assessed in order to monitor the atmospheric conditions, biological monitoring was done to determine the internal dose by analyzing the N-methylformamide(NMF) collected from urine at the beginning and end of the shift. Questionnaires and medical surveillance were also obtained during the two phases. RESULTS: Median air concentrations of DMF in winter and summer were 1.85 ppm and 2.78 ppm respectively. Also the difference between the urinary NMF concentration at the beginning and end of the shift (deltaNMF) was always significant in each season (P<0.001). The correlations between log DMF in air, log end-of-shift urinary NMF (r=0.555, P<0.001) and log deltaNMF (r=0.444, P<0.001) was statistically significant in summer. The temperature, humidity, a shift system and different styles of clothing worn were significantly different during the two phases. In a multivariate analysis, temperature and the concentration of DMF in the air were the main factors influencing biological monitoring of textile coating factory workers. CONCLUSIONS: Concerning more comprehensive prevention measures to reduce exposure for those workers occupationally exposed to DMF, dermal exposure conditions such as temperature and humidity together with the air concentration of DMF should be assessed and biological monitoring is necessary to reduce adverse health effects, especially during the summer. -
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