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Mechanistic Studies of Benzene Toxicity — Implications for Risk Assessment

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Biological Reactive Intermediates V

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 387))

Abstract

Benzene has been an established human carcinogen for some time now. Its use in the scientific laboratory, its disposal and use in the workplace is therefore tightly regulated in developed nations. It continues to be used, however, as a solvent in developing countries resulting in extremely high exposures. Further, with the introduction of unleaded gasoline in many countries, environmental and occupational exposure to benzene has increased. Most unleaded gasoline contains approximately 1% benzene, but some varieties contain 5% or more. The annual production of benzene in the US exceeds 1.2 billion gallons, accounting for 30% of worldwide production. Approximately 165,000 metric tons are released annually into the air in the US. Benzene is therefore a ubiquitous environmental pollutant. Smoking is another source of benzene exposure. A one pack/day smoker takes in 1800 μg benzene each day, while non-smokers are exposed to 180 – 1300 μg per day (1).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental Health Sciences School of Public Health, University of California, 140 Earl Warren Hall, Berkeley, California, 94720-7360, USA

    Martyn T. Smith

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  1. Martyn T. Smith
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

    Robert Snyder  & Charlotte M. Witmer  & 

  2. University of Arizona, Tuscon, Arizona, USA

    I. Glenn Sipes

  3. Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA

    David J. Jollow

  4. University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA

    Terrence J. Monks

  5. Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    James J. Kocsis  & George F. Kalf  & 

  6. GSF Institute of Toxicology, Technical University, Munich, Germany

    Helmut Greim

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Smith, M.T. (1996). Mechanistic Studies of Benzene Toxicity — Implications for Risk Assessment. In: Snyder, R., et al. Biological Reactive Intermediates V. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 387. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9480-9_34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9480-9_34

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9482-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9480-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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