Benzene: Environmental partitioning and human exposure

A multimedia transport model was used to evaluate the environmental partitioning of benzene. Measured and predicted environmental concentrations were used to estimate the accumulation of benzene in the food chain and the subsequent extent of human exposure from inhalation and ingestion. Results show...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental research 1990-12, Vol.53 (2), p.221-232
Main Authors: Hattemer-Frey, Holly A., Travis, Curtis C., Land, Miriam L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
540120 - Environment, Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540220 - Environment, Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
Air - analysis
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BENZENE
Benzene - analysis
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biological and medical sciences
Cattle
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
Environmental Exposure
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
Environmental pollutants toxicology
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
Fishes
FOOD CHAINS
General aspects
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
Humans
HYDROCARBONS
INGESTION
INHALATION
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MAN
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
Meat - analysis
Medical sciences
METABOLISM
Milk - chemistry
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Plants - analysis
PRIMATES
RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT
Smoking - adverse effects
Soil - analysis
Toxicology
United States
VERTEBRATES
Water - analysis
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Summary:A multimedia transport model was used to evaluate the environmental partitioning of benzene. Measured and predicted environmental concentrations were used to estimate the accumulation of benzene in the food chain and the subsequent extent of human exposure from inhalation and ingestion. Results show that benzene partitions mainly into air (99.9%) and that inhalation is the dominant pathway of human exposure, accounting for more than 99% of the total daily intake of benzene. Ingestion of contaminated food items represents only a minor pathway of human exposure. The long-term average daily intake of benzene by the general population of the U.S. was estimated using three independent methods. Intake estimates based on measured personal air exposures, measured exhaled air concentrations, and a pharmacokinetically derived adipose tissue concentration (73, 63, and 72 μg/day, respectively) are in good agreement. Although inhalation is the primary route of human exposure to background levels of benzene in the environment, smoking was found to be the largest anthropogenic source of background human exposure to benzene.
ISSN:0013-9351
1096-0953
DOI:10.1016/S0013-9351(05)80120-3