Population risk assessment of ambient benzene and evaluation of benzene regulation in gasoline in Japan

Abstract

The aggregate population cancer risk due to ambient benzene was evaluated for the entire Japanese population. This was done using data of ambient NOx levels measured at as many as 2000 air pollution monitoring stations nationwide and the regression equation between the levels of benzene and NOx obtained by continuous monitoring. The population-weighted exposure levels for the roadside population and general-environment population were calculated to be 2.1 ppb and 1.0 ppb, respectively. Eighty-four percent of the entire population was exposed to a lifetime cancer risk level of 1 × 10−5 or greater, and the annual number of cancer deaths was estimated to be 29.6 cases at the 1997 benzene level. Due to the regulation which established the upper limit of benzene content in gasoline to be 1 vol. % by January 2000, the total emission of benzene was estimated to be reduced by 27%, compared to 1993. The annual number of cancer deaths was expected to be reduced by 8.8 cases through the regulation of benzene in gasoline. Japanese petroleum companies have estimated the annual cost of the reduction of the benzene content in gasoline to be 25.6 billion yen. The cost per life saved by the regulation of benzene in gasoline is estimated to be 2.9 billion yen. The method implemented in this study to predict population risk is useful for identifying potential risk management options and evaluating their effectiveness before making decisions.