Traffic Related Population Exposure to Benzene Levels in Bucharest: Airpeco-People Project

Objective: When the EC directive on air pollution by benzene, has come into force the PEOPLE project aimed to provide measurements of benzene levels to assess the relative influence of outdoor and indoor emission sources on human personal exposure levels to benzene and to ensure policy support to raise awareness of citizens regarding air pollution was implemented.Methods: The benzene measurement campaign consisted in 24 hours outdoor and indoor benzene measurements and in 12 hour personal monitoring of 150 selected volunteers simultaneously in the same day. Movement diaries for all volunteers ensured the correct assignment to specific study groups. All measurements were performed by using a high resolution diffuse sampler that can measure benzene in a short period of time. The sampler used for benzene measurements in the campaign of 27 May 2003 in Bucharest was validated in laboratory experiments. The analysis of samplers was implemented according to rigorous QA/QC program by the JRC-IES (EU Joint Research Centre