Journal of Research in Environmental Health

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

Author Index

Keyword Index

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Indexing and Abstracting

Related Links

FAQ

Peer Review Process

News

Editorial Policy

Advertising Policy

Investigating and evaluating the emission and distribution of benzene pollutant in gas stations in the 4th district of Tehran using the AERMOD model and determining the dangerous and safe points using the WISER model

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 PhD student in the field of environmental engineering - air pollution, Kish International Campus, University of Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Professor, Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran. Iran.

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Benzene is one of the primary volatile organic compounds in urban air pollution. Beside its environmental implications, benzene poses various health risks to urban inhabitants. This study aimed to measure benzene levels at fuel stations (petrol pumps) in a specific area of Tehran and model its dispersion to determine safe distances from the release point.
 
Materials and Methods: The study, assessed benzene pollutant concentrations at 11 selected gas stations in Tehran’s 4th district over one-year using gas chromatography with a GC-FID flame ionization detector. Additionally, pollution dispersion modeling was conducted using the AEROMOD model, while the WISER software determined safe distances to aid emergency responses to chemical releases exceeding standard limits.
 
Results: Benzene measurements at the selected stations indicated average emissions of 3.07 µg/  in spring, 3.50 µg/   in summer, 2.95 µg/  in autumn, and 2.35 µg/  in winter. Notably, levels surpassed standards at three locations, posing environmental and health risks to residents’ station 53 and the Takhti sampling area exhibited the highest and lowest benzene emissions, respectively, at 4.24 µg/  and 1.62 µg/ . The dispersion model revealed a maximum annual benzene concentration of approximately 7.89 µg/ , exceeding the standard limit. Safe distances determined by the WISER model ranged from 0.5 to 0.7 µg/ , extending between 50 and 300 meters from the sampling area.
 
Conclusion: The study concludes that benzene emissions are higher in summer and lower in winter at the sampled locations. Distance from emission sources correlates with reduced benzene concentrations, thus minimizing population exposure. Safe areas were identified based on these findings. Given the health risks posed benzene emissions from gas stations, particularly in locations exceeding standard levels, targeted monitoring and control programs are imperative municipal areas and fuel stations.

Keywords

References
1. Ghiyathuddin, M., Jame Health - General Air Pollution and Its Effects 1392, Chapter 4, Speech 5, (Persian).
 
2. Dargahi, A., Ghanbari, A., Model for estimating the emission rate of pollutants resulting from urban transportation activities, 11th International Conference on Transportation and Traffic Engineering, 2019, (Persian).
 
3. Son C.H. Truong, Myong-In Lee, Ganghan Kim, Dongmin Kim, Jong-Hwa Park, Sung-Deuk C, Gi-Hyoug C,2016, Accidental benzene release risk assessment in an urban area using an atmospheric dispersion model, Volume 144, November 2016, Pages 146-159.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.08.075
 
4. Tabnak., Banzen into Oil, Tabnak News, 2014, Aguest (persian).
 
5. Sturaro A, Rella R, Parvoli G, Ferrara D. Long-term phenol, cresols and BTEX monitoring in urban air. Environ Monit Assess 2010;164(2010):93-100.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-0877-x
PMid:19343513
 
6. Mengqiang Lv, Wenjie, H, Xing, R, Junzhou, H, Xudong, Y, Source apportionment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in vehicle cabins diffusing from interior materials. Part I: Measurements of VOCs in new cars in China, Building and Environment, 2020, 175 (2020) 106796.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106796
 
7. Panwadee, S, and Wongpun, L, Seasonal Source Apportionment of Volatile Organic Compounds in Bangkok Ambient Air, Science Asia,2005, 31, PP: 395-401.
 
8. Zulfiqari, Q, Omrani, F, Alizadeh, A, 2023, Quantitative evaluation of hygiene with volatile organic compounds in the gasoline fuel consumption places of Sabzevar city, Quarterly Journal of Environmental Sciences, 9th Volume, No. 2, 1403, pp. 8560-8549. (Persian).
 
9. Hassanpour, A, Sharei, FA, 2020, Health risk assessment of BTEX concentration of Gasoline stations with vapor collection system on Workers in Isfahan, NO. 6, 4, pp. 4191-4201.
 
10. Chin-Yu, H, Hong-Xin, X, Pie-Yi, W, Yu-Cheng, C, Pau-Chung C, 2022, A mixed spatial prediction model in estimating spatiotemporal variations in benzene concentrations in Taiwan, Chemosphere, Volume 301, 134758
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134758
PMid:35490755
 
11. Chehrehei, M, Mirzahosseini, S, A, HS, Mansouri, N, Behzadi, M, H, Rashidi, Y, 2023, Health Risk Assessment of Benzene Using AERMOD-IRIS Method in the Vicinity of the Gas Station, Pol. J. Environ. Stud. Vol. 32, No. 1, 527-533.
https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/154738
PMid:18327272
 
12. Rastkari, N., Izadpanah, F., Yunsian, M., Investigating the level of exposure to benzene in gas station workers through environmental assessment and biological index monitoring, Journal of Health and Environment, Scientific Quarterly Journal of the Iranian Environmental Health Scientific Association, summer 2014. pp. 163-170 (Persian)
 
13. Tagvi-Rad, S., Shadivand, A., H., Davar, H., Investigating the cause of BETX vapors in the winter season in the port and shipping administration of one of the southern cities of the country, the first national conference on air pollution in Iran, October 28, 2012 (Persian).
 
14. Jalali, M., Jalali, S., Shafiei Mutlaq, M., Mardi, H., Gordhan, A., R., Health risk assessment of occupational exposure to BETEX chemicals at gas stations in Mashhad, Journal of Nishabud Faculty of Medical Sciences, 2015 first, number 1, (Persian).
 
15. Sediq, Mahdi, Sajjadfar Fatemeh, Tayiri Hakimeh, Hajizadeh Yaqoub, 2018, investigation of the amount of BTEX compounds released from fuel stations in the Khorasgan area of Isfahan in 2017-2018, Journal of Health System, Vol. 12, No. 2
 
16. U. C. Okonkwo, I. N. Ijioma and I. P. Onwuamaezea, pollutants emission of the filling station and their impact on the air quality (research note), IJE transactions,2015, Aspects Vol. 28, No. 6 page: 949-955
https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.ije.2015.28.06c.16
 
17. Debarba, L.K, Mulka, A, Lima, J, P.Fakhoury, L.Koshko, A. Wada, K.Zhang, 2020, Acarbose protects from central and peripheral metabolic imbalance induced by benzene exposure, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Volume 89, October 2020, Pages 87-99
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.073
PMid:32505715
 
18. Shireei, M., Mirzahosseini, A., Mansouri, N., Rashidi, Y., Bahrami, H., Estimation of evaporative losses of gasoline at fueling stations in Tehran in different seasons of the year, Environmental Science Quarterly, 2019, Volume 19, Number 3, pp. 161-176, (Persian)
 
19. Wei W, Lv Z, Yang G, Cheng S, Li Y, Wang L., VOCs emission rate estimate for complicated industrial area source using an inverse-dispersion calculation method: A case study on a petroleum refinery in Northern China, 2016, Volume 218, November 2016, Pages 681-688.Comparison of dry deposition
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.07.062
PMid:27522407
 
20. Cristina Romero-Trigueros1, María Esther González2, Marta Doval Miñarro3, and Enrique González, F, 2019, The interference of tetrachloromethane in the measurement of benzene in the air by a gas chromatography-photoionization detector (GC-PID), Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1685-1695
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1685-2019
 
21. Statistical Center of Iran, 2022, population of 4 districts of Tehran municipality
 
22. department of environment, 2017, Iran
 
23. Panwadee, S, and Wongpun, L, Seasonal Source Apportionment of Volatile Organic Compounds in Bangkok Ambient Air, Science Asia,2005, 31, PP: 395-401
 
24. EPA. (2004). AERMOD: description of model formulation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
 
25. EPA Victoria. (2013). Construction of input meteorological data files for EPA Victoria's regulatory air pollution model (AERMOD).
 
26. National Library of Medicine, 2021, WISER User's Guide, Version 6.2, Prepared under contract by: xt Century Corporation 2701 Technology Drive Annapolis Junction.
Journal of Research in Environmental Health
Volume 9, Issue 4 - Serial Number 36
March 2024
Pages 361-373
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics