Benzene levels in ambient air and breath of smokers and nonsmokers in urban and pristine environments

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398609530894· OSTI ID:5114377

Wester, R C; Maibach, H I; Gruenke, L D; Craig, J C

Benzene levels in human breath and in ambient air were compared in the urban area of San Francisco (SF) and in a more remote coastal pristine setting of Stinson Beach, Calif. (SB). Benzene analysis was done by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Ambient benzene levels were sevenfold higher in SF (2.6 +/- 1.3 ppb, n = 25) than SB (0.38 +/- 0.39 ppb, n = 21). In SF, benzene in smokers' breath (6.8 +/- 3.0 ppb) was greater than in nonsmokers' breath (2.5 +/- 0.8 ppb) and smokers' ambient air (3.3 +/- 0.8 ppb). In SB the same pattern was observed: benzene in smokers' breath was higher than in nonsmokers' breath and ambient air. Benzene in SF nonsmokers' breath was greater than in SB nonsmokers' breath. Marijuana-only smokers had benzene breath levels between those of smokers and nonsmokers. There was little correlation between benzene in breath and number of cigarettes smoked, or with other benzene exposures such as diet. Of special interest was the finding that benzene in breath of SF nonsmokers (2.5 +/- 0.8 ppb) was greater than that in nonsmokers ambient air (1.4 +/- 0.1 ppb). The same was true in SB, where benzene in nonsmokers breath was greater than ambient air (1.8 +/- 0.2 ppb versus 1.0 +/- 0.1 ppb on d 1 and 1.3 +/- 0.3 ppb versus 0.23 +/- 0.18 ppb on d 2). This suggests an additional source of benzene other than outdoor ambient air.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, San Francisco
• OSTI ID: 5114377
• Journal Information: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 4; ISSN JTEHD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BENZENE
BREATH
CALIFORNIA
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
FEDERAL REGION IX
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HYDROCARBONS
INHALATION
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MAN
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RESIDUES
RURAL AREAS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SMOKES
SOLS
SPECTROSCOPY
TOBACCO SMOKES
URBAN AREAS
USA
VERTEBRATES