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. 2014 Jun 18;11(6):6354-74.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph110606354.

Health risk assessment of ambient air concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) in service station environments

Benjamin Edokpolo  1 , Qiming Jimmy Yu  2 , Des Connell  3
Affiliations

Health risk assessment of ambient air concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) in service station environments

Benjamin Edokpolo et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

A comprehensive evaluation of the adverse health effects of human exposures to BTX from service station emissions was carried out using BTX exposure data from the scientific literature. The data was grouped into different scenarios based on activity, location and occupation and plotted as Cumulative Probability Distributions (CPD) plots. Health risk was evaluated for each scenario using the Hazard Quotient (HQ) at 50% (CEXP50) and 95% (CEXP95) exposure levels. HQ50 and HQ95 > 1 were obtained with benzene in the scenario for service station attendants and mechanics repairing petrol dispensing pumps indicating a possible health risk. The risk was minimized for service stations using vapour recovery systems which greatly reduced the benzene exposure levels. HQ50 and HQ95 < 1 were obtained for all other scenarios with benzene suggesting minimal risk for most of the exposed population. However, HQ50 and HQ95 < 1 was also found with toluene and xylene for all scenarios, suggesting minimal health risk. The lifetime excess Cancer Risk (CR) and Overall Risk Probability for cancer on exposure to benzene was calculated for all Scenarios and this was higher amongst service station attendants than any other scenario.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Scenario 1, CPD plots for exposure of service station attendants to concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene in the air of service stations as measured by personal air sampling pumps.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scenario 2, CPD plots for exposure to mechanics repairing and maintaining fuel pumps to concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene in air as measured by personal air sampling pump.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scenario 3, CPD plots for exposure to concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene in the air for people operating within the forecourt perimeter of the service stations as measured by static air sampling pumps.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Scenario 4, CPD plots for exposure of workers to concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene in the air of offices of service stations as measured by personal air sampling pump.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Scenario 5, CPD plots for exposure to customers to concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene during car refueling as measured by deploying Semipermeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) on peoples clothing for a few minutes during vehicle refueling.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Scenario 6, CPD plots for exposure to people outside the service stations to concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene from the service stations as measured by static air sampling pumps.
Figure 7
Figure 7
CPD plots lifetime exposure to benzene concentrations in air of service station (LADD) for scenarios 1–6 and Adverse Effects.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Overall risk probability for cancer as a result of exposure to benzene concentrations in air of service station environments.
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