Meta-analysis of the effect of low-level occupational benzene exposure on human peripheral blood leukocyte counts in China

Research on nonsteady-state adsorption and regulation towards stabler adsorption for benzene over single-wall carbon materials

With the intention of separating benzene (C6H6) from indoor polluted air and collecting it in a cleaner way, it is promising of getting C6H6 adsorbed on activated carbon materials with outstanding physicochemical properties. In this study, how C6H6 is adsorbed over single-wall carbon materials and relevant adsorption processes are enhanced is thoroughly investigated via density functional theory (DFT). Especially, distinction between partial and whole effects of adsorbents on C6H6 adsorption, features of electron distribution across section of adsorption forms, and regulation mechanism of nonsteady-state adsorption for C6H6 are key points. According to calculation results, C6H6 molecules could be captured by pure single-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) through repulsive forces (quantified as 103.42 kJ/mol) from all quarters, which makes it stay in nonsteady-state adsorption forms and easily run into free state. Therefore, when external temperature increases from 0 to 300 K, molecular movement will be intense enough to help C6H6 break into another random positions instead of statistically remaining immobile. As for this problem, single-wall CNTs are modified through making defects and replacing some C atoms with N atoms, respectively. In this way, surficial electron distribution of modified adsorbents is regulated to tremendously cut down repulsive forces (quantified as 50.30 kJ/mol) and reverse nonsteady-state adsorption into near-equilibrium quasi-steady-state adsorption (single-side attraction near 100 kJ/mol). Therefore, this research would provide useful information for exploiting single-wall carbon materials as effective adsorbents of C6H6 in order to quickly achieve indoor air purification.

Effects of Benzene: Hematological and Hypersensitivity Manifestations in Resident Living in Oil Refinery Areas

Literature is teeming with publications on industrial pollution. Over the decades, the main industrial pollutants and their effects on human health have been widely framed. Among the various compounds involved, benzene plays a leading role in the onset of specific diseases. Two systems are mainly affected by the adverse health effects of benzene exposure, both acute and chronic: the respiratory and hematopoietic systems. The most suitable population targets for a proper damage assessment on these systems are oil refinery workers and residents near refining plants. Our work fits into this area of interest with the aim of reviewing the most relevant cases published in the literature related to the impairment of the aforementioned systems following benzene exposure. We perform an initial debate between the two clinical branches that see a high epidemiological expression in this slice of the population examined: residents near petroleum refinery areas worldwide. In addition, the discussion expands on highlighting the main immunological implications of benzene exposure, finding a common pathophysiological denominator in inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage, thus helping to set the basis for an increasingly detailed characterization aimed at identifying common molecular patterns between the two clinical fields discussed.