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5092921 
Journal Article 
Characterization of BTEX group of VOCs and inhalation risks in indoor microenvironments at small enterprises 
El-Hashemy, MA; Ali, HM 
2018 
1 
Science of the Total Environment
ISSN: 0048-9697
EISSN: 1879-1026 
645 
974-983 
English 
30248884 
WOS:000445164200097 
Concentrations of BTEX group (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) were measured in indoor and outdoor environments at four printing shops and two photocopy centers in Sakaka city, KSA. Fifty four BTEX samples were collected using passive diffusion monitors (SKC VOC 575) and analyzed by GC-MS. The results showed that toluene was the most prevailing compound within the BTEX group and its indoor levels were much higher than outdoor. The average indoor concentrations (μg/m3) ranged from 2.45 to 14.66, 81.59 to 955.65, 11.19 to 97.35, 35.66 to 291.88 and 3.90 to 28.39 for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene and o-xylene, respectively. The indoor/outdoor ratios of concentrations of BTEX species were more than one in most cases, indicating the effect of indoor emission sources. Based on (Toluene/Benzene) ratios, all sites were affected by the traffic emissions. Ventilation efficiency, ink type and outdoor pollutant concentration are responsible for results disparity. Cancer and non-cancer risks were assessed in the indoor environments by calculating the lifetime cancer risk (LCR) and hazard ratio (HR), respectively. For benzene and ethylbenzene measured concentrations, LCR values were more than the acceptable USEPA risk level of 1 × 10-6. HR values for BTEX species were in general lower than the threshold limit of one. 
Volatile organic compounds; BTEX; Diffusive sampler; Health risk assessment 
• Ethylbenzene
     New Litsearch 4/2019
          PubMed