hydrocarbon present in coal tar and petroleum, cigarette smoke, used in chemical synthesis, motor fuels, solvents, detergents, pesticides, personal care items such as nail polish or hair color and many other substances. It has a sweet, aromatic, gasoline-like odor. Benzene is a carcinogen that causes leukemia as well as a number of other illnesses. Virtually the entire U.S. population is exposed to benzene, at least in small amounts -- at gas stations (it's in the gasoline), in diesel exhaust or from cigarette smoke, including second-hand smoke. Benzene is also a problem in a number of workplaces, including oil refineries, coal-coking operations at steel mills, chemical processing plants, rubber manufacturing plants and laboratories, where it is often used as a solvent for other chemicals. You can avoid one significant source of benzene by stepping away from the gas pump when refueling your car.
Benzene levels in breath increase after exposure to tobacco smoke, but there are additional sources of benzene in breath than ambient air. It is difficult to establish exact relationships with the number of cigarettes smoked, or with other benzene exposures such as diet.
Benzene levels in breath increase after exposure to tobacco smoke, but there are additional sources of benzene in breath than ambient air. It is difficult to establish exact relationships with the number of cigarettes smoked, or with other benzene exposures such as diet.
