title: Studies on commuters' exposure to BTEX in passenger cars in Kolkata, India.
abstract: Commuters' exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) especially BTEX travelling in passenger cars in Kolkata, India were quantified in Phase I (2001-2002) and Phase II (2003-2004). Monitoring was made inside and in the immediate outside of passenger cars fitted with and without catalytic converters using different types of fuels, along two congested urban routes. During Phase I of the study, the benzene content in gasoline was 5% and the mean concentration of in-vehicle benzene in cars without catalytic converter was found to be as high as 721.2 microg/m3. In Phase II when the benzene content was reduced to <3% and with modified engine type, the mean in-vehicle benzene concentration was reduced to 112.4 microg/m3. The in-vehicle concentration varied with engine type and age of the vehicle. Roadside ambient mean concentration of benzene was 214.8 microg/m3 and 30.8 microg/m3 in Phase I and Phase II respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University College of Science Technology and Agriculture, 92, A. P. C. Road, Kolkata 700 009, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Som
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mallick
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Jana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sen
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001336:Automobiles; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D002947:Cities; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D010578:Petroleum; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*; D014835:Volatilization; D014992:Xylenes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D010578:Petroleum; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene