Pilot study to investigate airborne benzene levels in service station kiosks

Report no. 98/53: This report describes the results of a small pilot study which was carried out in two service stations in the UK. The purpose of the study was to compare the concentrations of benzene in the forecourt air with that in the kiosk at each of the service stations and possibly identify reasons for any observed differences.The results showed that the ambient concentrations of benzene on the forecourts of the two service stations differed significantly.

A possible explanation for this observation is that the service station with the lower ambient benzene concentrations had a stage I vapour balancing system installed, thereby reducing releases of hydrocarbons into the air during tanker discharging.The results also showed that for each service station, the benzene concentration inside the kiosk was similar to that immediately outside. It was also shown that increases in ambient benzene concentrations following forecourt activities, was followed by a corresponding increase inside the respective kiosk.