Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Ali Askari ¹
• Ali Salehi Sahl Abadi ²
• Farideh Golbabaei ³
• Emad Jafarzadeh ⁴
• Kamal Aazam ⁵

¹ Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran; Department of Health, Safety, and Environment, OICO Occupational Health Expert, Azar Oilfield, Ilam, Iran

² Department of Occupational Health and Safety at Work, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Institute for Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Institute for Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Aim: This article evaluates the health risk of occupational exposure to BTEX compounds, cancer risk, and noncancer risk analysis among gas station workers. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional research evaluates pollutants rank of risk released at Ahvaz stations in Iran. We have collected 96 samples of workers exposed to BTEX and eight samples for control in the ambient air. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended BTEX method numbers 1500 and 1501 for sampling and analysis. To evaluate the risk assessment of pollutants, we utilized a semi-quantitative method offered by Singapore's Occupational Safety and Health Division. Results: The average benzene concentration in the operators' breathing zone (1.202 0.83 ppm) was greater than the threshold limit values-time weighted average (TLVs-TWA) (P < 0.05). Other contaminants had concentrations that were lower than the ACGIH's TLV-TWA (P < 0.05). In gas stations, benzene has a very high danger ranking among chemical compounds. Toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene in the employees' breathing zone posed a modest risk. The average cancer risk for benzene-exposed operators, head shift workers, and supervisors was calculated to be 4.46 × 10⁻³, 2.90 × 10⁻³, and 2.08 × 10⁻³, respectively. The risk of cancer is projected to be higher than the tolerable level of 10-6. Conclusion: In unique, long-term exposure to benzene has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and toxic effects, and a health-risk assessment can provide useful information about current workplace contaminants.

Keywords

• Benzene
• BTEX
• cancer risk assessment
• gas station
• risk analysis
• volatile organic compounds