Assessing Phthalate Exposure and Risk among Residents Living near an Industrial Complex in Daejeon Metropolitan City

Background: Residents living near industrial complexes are more likely than others to be exposed to environmental pollutants such as phthalates.However, community-based exposure assessments at the smallarea level remain limited in South Korea.Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate urinary concentrations of major phthalate metabolites and identify demographic and environmental factors influencing exposure among residents living near the Daedeok Industrial Complex in Daejeon. Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 203 residents between 2023 and 2024.Urinary MnBP, MEHHP, MEOHP, and MECPP were analyzed using a PerkinElmer Clarus 680-SQ 8T GC/MS system and adjusted for creatinine.Results were compared with reference values from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) and the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).Correlation and ANCOVA analyses were performed to examine group differences and associated factors. Results:The geometric means and 95th percentiles of all metabolites exceeded both KoNEHS and NHANES reference levels.MnBP showed the highest concentration (GM=37.95g/g; 95th=136.85g/g).Residents in the vulnerable area exhibited higher concentrations than those in the reference area.After adjustment, females, long-term residents (>10 years), and individuals living near paper-manufacturing or chemical-processing facilities had significantly higher levels (p<0.05). Conclusions:The elevated urinary phthalate levels among females and long-term residents suggest the combined effects of individual and residential environmental factors.Given the short half-life of phthalates and the cross-sectional design, these findings appear to reflect recent exposure patterns.Continuous biomonitoring and environmental surveillance are warranted for vulnerable populations near industrial areas.