Benzene in the environment: an assessment of the potential risks to the health of the population (original) (raw)

2001, Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Objectives-Benzene has long been recognised as a carcinogen and recent concern has centred on the eVects of continuous exposure to low concentrations of benzene both occupationally and environmentally. This paper presents an overview of the current knowledge about human exposure to benzene in the United Kingdom population based on recently published data, summarises the known human health eVects, and uses this information to provide a risk evaluation for sections of the general United Kingdom population. Method-Given the minor contribution that non-inhalation sources make to the overall daily intake of benzene to humans, only exposure from inhalation has been considered when estimating the daily exposure of the general population to benzene. Exposure of adults, children, and infants to benzene has been estimated for diVerent exposure scenarios with timeactivity patterns and inhalation and absorption rates in conjunction with measured benzene concentrations for a range of relevant microenvironments. Exposures during refuelling and driving, as well as the contribution of active and passive tobacco smoke, have been considered as part of the characterisation of risk of the general population. Results-Infants (<1 years old), the average child (11 years old), and nonoccupationally exposed adults, receive average daily doses in the range of 15-26, 29-50, and 75-522 µg of benzene, respectively, which correspond to average ranges to benzene in air of 3.40-5.76 µg/m 3 , 3.37-5.67 µg/m 3 , and 3.7-41 µg/m 3 for infants, children, and adults, respectively. Infants and children exposed to environmental tobacco smoke have concentrations of exposure to benzene comparable with those of an adult passive smoker. This is a significant source of exposure as a 1995 United Kingdom survey has shown that 47% of children aged 2-15 years live in households where at least one person smokes. The consequence of exposure to benzene in infants is more significant than for children or adults owing to their lower body weight, resulting in a higher daily Occup Environ Med 2001;58:2-13 Answers to multiple choice questions (1) (a) True (b) True (c) False (d) False (e) True (2) (a) False (b) True (c) False (d) True (e) False (3) (a) False (b) False (c) True (d) True (e) False (4) (a) False (b) True (c) True (d) True (e) False (5) (a) False (b) False (c) False (d) True (e) False Benzene in the environment 13