Petrol stations contaminate their immediate surroundings
February 5th, 2011 - 5:16 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Feb 05 (ANI): Scientists have examined the effects of contamination at petrol stations that is potentially harmful to health, which can be noted in buildings less than 100 metres from the service stations.
“Some airborne organic compounds - such as benzene, which increases the risk of cancer - have been recorded at petrol stations at levels above the average levels for urban areas where traffic is the primary source of emission”, Marta Doval, co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of Murcia, said.
The study shows that the air at petrol stations and in their immediate surroundings is above all affected by emissions stemming from evaporated vehicle fuels (unburnt fuels from fuel loading and unloading operations, refuelling and liquid spillages).
The research team measured the levels of “typical traffic” pollutants in different parts of the urban area of Murcia, and calculated the quotients for the levels of an aromatic compound (benzene) and a hydrocarbon (n-hexane) at three Murcia petrol stations (near the petrol pumps and surrounding areas) to find the distance at which the service stations stop having an impact.
“In the three cases studied we obtained maximum distances of influence of close to 100 metres, although the average distance over which this contamination has an effect is around 50 metres”, Enrique Gonzalez, the UM researcher who led the research team, said.
However, the distances depend on the number of petrol pumps, the amount of fuel drawn from them, traffic intensity, the structure of the surroundings, and weather conditions.
The study has been published in the Journal of Environmental Management. (ANI)
- Petrol stations near homes carry cancer risk - Feb 06, 2011
- Electric cars cause more pollution than petrol ones: Study - Feb 14, 2012
- 'Suicides at Apple supply plants a lesson for companies' - Mar 29, 2011
- Wrongly produced green biofuels can be harmful - Jul 31, 2011
- No helmet, no petrol in Ranchi - Jan 31, 2012
- Cities in developing countries 'likelier to be hit by climate change' - Apr 08, 2011
- Cigarette butts found toxic to saltwater and freshwater fish - Nov 20, 2009
- Levels of environmental contaminants in mums' body drop during breast-feeding - Jan 22, 2011
- Colorectal cancer affecting India's fight against cancer - Feb 18, 2012
- BS-III and IV petrol and diesel introduced across India - Sep 23, 2010
- Caffeine levels in water tied to contamination - Nov 22, 2011
- Prenatal exposure to pollutants linked to behavioural problems in children - Apr 13, 2011
- No helmet, no fuel for Srinagar two-wheeler riders - Jun 08, 2011
- Antimicrobial products 'toxic for environment, dangerous to human health' - Nov 10, 2010
- Grapes may help you prevent premature ageing - Aug 01, 2011
Tags: aromatic compound, benzene, co author, contamination, distances, enrique gonzalez, hexane, hydrocarbon, journal of environmental management, organic compounds, petrol pumps, petrol stations, pollutants, primary source, quotients, traffic intensity, typical traffic, urban area, vehicle fuels, weather conditions