Benzene: Environmental partitioning and human exposure
- Lee Wan and Associates, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (USA)
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 micrograms/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.
- OSTI ID:
- 6076766
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Research; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Research; (USA) Vol. 53:2; ISSN ENVRA; ISSN 0013-9351
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Estimating human exposure through multiple pathways from air, water, and soil
Conventional weapons demilitarization: A health and environmental effects data base assessment: Methods for estimating multi-pathway exposures to environmental contaminants, Final report, Phase 2
Related Subjects
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BENZENE
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FOOD CHAINS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
INGESTION
INHALATION
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MAN
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METABOLISM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
VERTEBRATES