Characteristics and health effects of BTEX in a hot spot for urban pollution

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2018 Jul 15:155:133-143. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.02.065. Epub 2018 Mar 3.

Abstract

This study reports a spatiotemporal characterization of toluene, benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes concentrations (BTEX) in an urban hot spot in Iran, specifically at an bus terminal region in Shiraz. Sampling was carried out according to NIOSH Compendium Method 1501. The inverse distance weighting (IDW) method was applied for spatial mapping. The Monte Carlo simulation technique was applied to evaluate carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk owing to BTEX exposure. The highest average BTEX concentrations were observed for benzene in the morning (at 7:00-9:00 A.M. local time) (26.15 ± 17.65 µg/m3) and evening (at 6:00-8:00 P.M. local time) (34.44 ± 15.63 µg/m3). The benzene to toluene ratios in the morning and evening were 2.02 and 3.07, respectively. The main sources of BTEX were gas stations and a municipal solid waste transfer station. The inhalation lifetime cancer risk (LTCR) for benzene in the morning and evening were 1.96 × 10-4 and 2.49 × 10-4, respectively, which exceeds the recommended value by US EPA and WHO. The hazard quotient (HQ) of all these pollutants was less than 1. The results of this work have implications for public health near 'hot spots' such as IKBT where large populations are exposed to carcinogenic emissions.

Keywords: BTEX; Hazard quotient; Risk assessment; Spatial mapping.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants* / analysis
  • Air Pollutants* / toxicity
  • Benzene Derivatives* / analysis
  • Benzene Derivatives* / toxicity
  • Benzene* / analysis
  • Benzene* / toxicity
  • Cities
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Humans
  • Inhalation Exposure / adverse effects
  • Inhalation Exposure / analysis
  • Iran
  • Neoplasms / chemically induced*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Toluene* / analysis
  • Toluene* / toxicity
  • Xylenes* / analysis
  • Xylenes* / toxicity

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Benzene Derivatives
  • Xylenes
  • Toluene
  • Benzene
  • ethylbenzene