Exposure to Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes and Risk of Depression: A Cross-sectional Study of a National Sample of Korean Adults
- Author:
Hyun-Wook PARK
1
;
Byung-Sun CHOI
;
Bomi PARK
;
Wanhyung LEE
;
Weon-Young LEE
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health 2026;59(1):95-104
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
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.
