Benzene in gasoline and crude oil: occupational and environmental implications.

A review of studies, published in peer-reviewed journals and articles available as technical reports of various organizations, regarding benzene in gasoline and crude oil was performed. The summarized data will be useful for retrospective exposure assessments in epidemiological studies. It shows that in the past, benzene in gasoline has been quite high, but now, there is a distinct trend in North America and Europe to reduce benzene in gasoline to a level of about 1%. The reduction of benzene in gasoline results not only in the lowering of occupational exposure for workers, but it also has far greater influence in decreasing the environmental benzene exposure for the general public.