BTEX and Nitrogen Oxides fume Assessments in Fuel Dispense Stations and Residential Areas

Abstract

Fuel vapors are released from storage tanks through vent pipes and from filling pump fuel dispensary stations. These petroleum-based by-products are introduced into ambient atmospheres and neighboring areas and may become a potential health risk. To investigate the quantity of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) concentrations as they are considered air pollutants and proven that they have negative health impacts on human. A selected fuel dispensing stations within Kuwaiti residential areas, passive samplers were deployed within selected fuel stations and also several residential areas for one week. Findings reveal that the concentration of BTEX at the fuel dispensing stations was significantly elevated than it was for the breathing pipe in residential areas. The concentration of benzene of 5.5 μg/m3 is slightly higher than the mean ambient concentrations in the rural and urban areas that 1 μg/m3 and 5–20 μg/m3, respectively. The levels are higher near such sources of benzene emission as fuel dispensing stations. As a result, the benzene close to the fuel stations is higher up to 70 μg/m3. Emissions escalate during weather change because of meteorological variables like temperature and wind direction influence dispersion of noxious compounds in the ambient air. With significant additions of harmful petroleum products into Kuwaiti air, a weary for respiratory and digestive implications may be paving the way to cause an ecological uproar. Hence, the government should use this baseline data and provide guidance to fuel dispensary stations for an improved method of fuel dispense, improvising fuel storing to minimise temperature change for fuel state preservation and, use of nozzles that increase dispensary speeds while minimising vapour production.