Human Neurotoxicity of Trichloroethylene: A Biomarker Approach

Occupational exposure to organic solvents remains a significant neurotoxic risk, yet early biochemical indicators of neural injury are insufficiently characterized. This cross-sectional study evaluated 86 automotive spray painters and 85 controls to investigate the relationship between solvent metabolites and neurotoxic biomarkers. Serum S100B, NSE, MAP 2, GFAP, and MBP were measured alongside urinary metabolites, including trichloroacetic acid (TCA), phenol, mandelic acid, phenylglyoxylic acid, and 2,5-hexanedione. Exposed workers showed significantly higher concentrations of all neural injury markers. TCA levels were markedly elevated and demonstrated strong correlations with S100B, NSE, MAP 2, GFAP, and MBP. Multiple regression analyses identified TCA as the only independent predictor across all biomarkers, indicating a dominant role of chlorinated solvent pathways in early neural injury. These findings suggest that solvent exposure-particularly to chlorinated compounds-elicits subclinical glial, neuronal, cytoskeletal, and myelin disturbances. Biomarker profiling may support early detection and prevention strategies in solvent-exposed workers.