Preliminary assessment of BTEX exposure levels in urban ambient air and public buses: A pilot study conducted in Paramaribo, Suriname

Abstract

Preliminary assessment of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) levels in the ambient air and public buses of Paramaribo was conducted by the passive sampling technique with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. Mean urban and in-bus BTEX concentrations were 0.44–3.08 μg/m3 and 0.43–2.03 μg/m3, respectively, with toluene in highest abundance. BTEX were deemed highly correlated and vehicle emissions were assigned as the main source. Risk assessment of bus drivers suggests that occupational BTEX exposure pose no potential health threats. However, the estimated cancer risk from benzene exposure is disconcerting. This pilot study, designates the need for more comprehensive BTEX monitoring.