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The relationship between solvent use and BTEX concentrations in occupational environments

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Abstract

Indoor air quality is an increasing concern; it causes significant damage to health because it is recycled in confined environments for extended periods of time. Among the pollutants found in these environments, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) are known for their potential toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects. This study monitored the BTEX concentrations in paint, carpentry, and varnish workplaces and evaluated the potential to cause adverse health effects on workers in these environments. Twenty samples were collected in workplaces, 20 samples were collected outside the area, and eight samples were taken of the products used. Samples were collected using coconut shell cartridges, and chemical analyses were performed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Toluene presented higher indoor concentrations and indoor and outdoor ratios, indicating that the paint and varnish workplaces had significant BTEX sources. The highest benzene and toluene concentrations were obtained from the paint workshop, and higher concentrations of ethylbenzene and xylenes were obtained in the varnish workshop. The highest non-carcinogenic risks were obtained for m + p-xylenes in the varnish work place, and the second highest non-carcinogenic risk was also determined for the same workshop.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Research Support Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for the financial support and research grants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Eduardo Monteiro Martins, Priscila Falcão de Sá Borba, Neemias Espindola dos Santos, Paula Thaise Bermudez dos Reis & Renata Simões Silveira

  2. Faculty of Technology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Resende, Brazil

    Sergio Machado Corrêa

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  1. Eduardo Monteiro Martins
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  2. Priscila Falcão de Sá Borba
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  3. Neemias Espindola dos Santos
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  6. Sergio Machado Corrêa
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Correspondence to Sergio Machado Corrêa.

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Martins, E.M., Borba, P.F.d.S., dos Santos, N.E. et al. The relationship between solvent use and BTEX concentrations in occupational environments. Environ Monit Assess 188, 608 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5621-8

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