Characterization of BTEX group of VOCs and inhalation risks in indoor microenvironments at small enterprises

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 645; pp. 974 - 983
• Main Authors: El-Hashemy, Mohammed A., Ali, Hazim M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.12.2018
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - statistics & numerical data; Benzene - analysis; Benzene Derivatives - analysis; BTEX; Cities; Diffusive sampler; Environmental Monitoring; Health risk assessment; Humans; Inhalation Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Toluene - analysis; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis; Xylenes - analysis; Cities; Volatile organic compounds; BTEX; Diffusive sampler; Health risk assessment
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.157

Concentrations of BTEX group (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) were measured in indoor and outdoor environments at four printing shops and two photocopy centers in Sakaka city, KSA. Fifty four BTEX samples were collected using passive diffusion monitors (SKC VOC 575) and analyzed by GC–MS. The results showed that toluene was the most prevailing compound within the BTEX group and its indoor levels were much higher than outdoor. The average indoor concentrations (μg/m3) ranged from 2.45 to 14.66, 81.59 to 955.65, 11.19 to 97.35, 35.66 to 291.88 and 3.90 to 28.39 for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene and o-xylene, respectively. The indoor/outdoor ratios of concentrations of BTEX species were more than one in most cases, indicating the effect of indoor emission sources. Based on (Toluene/Benzene) ratios, all sites were affected by the traffic emissions. Ventilation efficiency, ink type and outdoor pollutant concentration are responsible for results disparity. Cancer and non-cancer risks were assessed in the indoor environments by calculating the lifetime cancer risk (LCR) and hazard ratio (HR), respectively. For benzene and ethylbenzene measured concentrations, LCR values were more than the acceptable USEPA risk level of 1 × 10−6. HR values for BTEX species were in general lower than the threshold limit of one. [Display omitted] •BTEX compounds were passive sampled inside and outside four printing shops and two photocopy centers.•The disparity of the obtained results showed the important influence of some factors as ventilation efficiency, used ink type and outdoor concentration.•The average indoor/outdoor concentration ratios (I/O) indicated the effect of indoor sources related to printing and photocopying processes.•An increase of cancer risk for workers was suggested.