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| BENZENE
IN AIR AND IT'S EFFECT ON HUMAN HEALTH |
AIR QUALITY STANDARD FOR BENZENE :
UK Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards :
As regards exposure to general public UK Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards have recommended 5 ppb (16 µg/m3 ) as a rolling annual mean ;with a target of 1 ppb (3.2 µg/m3 ) for benzene concentration in air . Also they have recommended that this Standard be reduced to the lower level of 1 ppb running annual average, and that the Government set a target date by which this be achieved.
European Commission Limit Value for Benzene :
The limit value must be expressed in µg/m3, standardized at a temperature of 293 K (20*C) and a pressure of 101.3 kPa.
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Averaging period |
Limit Value | Margin of tolerance | Date by which limit value is to be met | |
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Limit value for the protection of human health |
Calendar year | 5 ug/m3 |
5 ug/m3 (100 %) on 13 December 2000, reducing on 1 January 2006 and every 12 months thereafter by 1 ug/m3 to reach 0% by 1 January 2010 |
1 January 2010 (1) |
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(1) Except within zones and agglomerations within which a time-limited extension has been agreed in accordance with Article 3(2)n m | ||||
Air Quality Standards for Benzene in Different Countries
| Country |
Standard Concentration measured as |
To be achieved by |
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UK |
16 ug/m3 – running annual mean |
31st Dec., 2003 |
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European Commission |
5 ug/m3 –annual average |
31st Dec., 2010 |
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Japan |
3 ug/m3 annual average* |
Existing Standard |
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WHO Guidelines |
5-20 ug/m3 |
* Prefer GC-MS (sample to be collected with canister or tube or its equivalent method).
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