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Low Levels of Exposure to Benzene Causes Cancer

From: Scientific Studies on Benzene Health Effects

ERIKSSON and KARISSON (1992)

• Mouse peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) showed a significant increase in the sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) after inhalation exposure to benzene at levels as low as 1 ppm for 6 hours.
• Rat (PBLs) showed significant decreases in mitotic activity after inhalation exposure to benzene levels as low as 3 ppm for 6 hours.
• The authors concluded that, "Benzene can induce statistically significant cytogenetic effects in PBLs of both mice and rats after a 6-hour inhalation of benzene at low concentrations."

Eriksson M, Karisson M. 1992. Occupational and other environmental factors and multiple myeloma: A population based case-control study. Br J Ind Med 36:1210-1211.

GLASS, 2004.

Reported adverse effects of benzene at levels of 1-2 ppm.

Glass D. 2004. Epidemiological Studies section, Recent Advances in Benzene Toxicity at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. October 9-12, 2004.

HEALTH WATCH (2001)

This study of Australian petroleum workers showed that:

• Exposure to benzene showed a statistically significant increase of leukemia at exposures that ranged from 0.001 to 2.07 ppm with a mean exposure level of 0.2 ppm;
• 98% of workers were exposed to less than or equal to 1 ppm;
• Based on current OSHA standards, one can calculate a doubling of risk at 16 ppb.

From: Health Watch. 2001. Australian Technical Report and Appendices. Lympho-haematopoietic cancer and exposure to benzene in the Australian Petroleum Industry. Monash University & Deakin University.

Also see:
Collegium Ramazzini. 2004. Call for a reduction of exposure to benzene to the lowest possible level. Eur J Oncol 9:13-15.
Hayes RB, Yin SN, Dosemeci M, et al. 1997. Benzene and the dose-related incidence of hematologic neoplasms in China. For the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine--National Cancer Institute Benzene Study Group. J Natl Cancer Inst 89:1065-1071.
Health Watch - Eleventh Report. 2000. The Australian Institute of Petroleum Health Surveillance Program. The University of Adelaide Department of Public Health, Adelaide University, South Australia. pp 1-75
Mehlman MA. 2004. Benzene: a haematopoietic and multi-organ carcinogen at any level above zero. Eur J Oncol 9:15-36.

LAN et al. (2004)

Genetic variants in key benzene metabolizing enzymes, NAD(P) hydroquinone and myeloperoxidase influence susceptibility to benzene toxicity at benzene levels < 1 ppm (average 0.7 ppm).

Lan Q, Zhang L, Li G, et al. 2004. Hematotoxicity in workers exposed to low levels of benzene. Science 306: 1774-1776.

National Toxicology Program

Low-dose effects confirmed by a scientific peer review conducted by the US National Toxicology Program.

In: Summary Points from the National Toxicology Program's Endocrine Disruptors Low-Dose Peer Review October 10-12, 2000

1. "At least in the preliminary report, the panel states that the positive results have been obtained independently by scientists at academic institutions."
2. "The negative results have been carried out in industry labs and/or funded by industry."
3. "This pattern is reminiscent of the state of the scientific research on neurocognitive impacts on lead in the mid-1970s and generations of studies of tobacco health impacts."
4. "Independent scientists found impacts. Industry-funded scientists found no effects. Those debates have now been fully resolved: there are effects ."

From: http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/lowdose/2000-10ntppanelreport.htm

Findings of the Scientific Review Panel Regarding the Report on Benzene

Source: University of California, Davis. Submission of Report to the Scientific Review Panel on Benzene by Emil M. Mrak, Chancellor Emeritus, to Gordon Duffy, State Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA.

The Scientific Review Panel finds each of the following propositions to be prudent interpretations of the available evidence:

• Benzene is a human carcinogen;
• Benzene should be treated as a carcinogen that may act at all doses without any threshold level;
• Health effects, other than cancer, are not anticipated at current ambient benzene exposure levels; and
• Under reasonable conservative estimates, the lifetime cancer risk from ambient exposures is not negligible.

For these reasons, we agree that benzene should be listed by the Air Resources Board as a toxic air contaminant having no threshold level.

Comments:

Using extrapolation procedures recommended by the EPA and Interagency advisory groups, DHS has estimated that the lifetime risk of cancer from exposure to benzene ranges between 22 and 170 cases per million per ppb.

The Scientific Review Panel concurs with DHS's evaluation, but wishes to emphasize several points, among them that, "The range of risk presented (22 to 170 cases per million per ppb) represents a range derived from conservative estimation procedures."

Increased Cancer Risk from Exposure to Low Benzene Levels

Occupational Standard for Benzene

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