Cancer Risk Assessment Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene (BTEX) in the Production of Insulation Bituminous

Abstract

Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene and Xylene are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with approximately similar physical and chemical characteristics. Benzene and Ethyl-benzene are known carcinogen as well as they affect the circulatory, nervous, and reproductive and respiratory systems. Toluene and Xylene also damage the nervous and reproductive systems. The main purpose of this study is to determine the risk of occupational exposure to Benzene and toluene compounds among Isogam Bituminous production units which were selected randomly in Delijan and also to calculate the quantitative rate of cancer and non-cancer risks of these compounds. In this empirical and analytical study, in ten Isogam Bituminous production units (of the suburbs and downtown) which are selected randomly. The quality of the air that the workers breathe is collected at three times; in the morning, at noon and at night at which at one of time in each Isogam Bituminous production unit. Air samples are gathered based on standard of NIOSH 3800 by a sampling pump manufactured by SKC Co. England with a flow rate of 0.3 liters per minute. These samples are transported to the laboratory and analyzed by gas chromatograph with Flame Ionization Detector (FID). The cancer risk for workers exposed to Benzene is calculated in the range of 8.15×10-7 and a quantitative non-cancer risk value for Toluene is also calculated in the range of 0.000176 . Coccupational exposure of workers at Isogam Bituminous production units to Benzene, Toluene compounds might increase the risk of cancer for them.