Dermal exposures associated with service station refuelling activities: preliminary evaluation

Report no. 14/14: This study investigates dermal exposure to petrol and diesel fuel in service station attendants responsible for the refuelling of automobiles. In phase 1 of the study, six attendants from three service stations wore a carbon patch sample inside and outside their clothing to assess dermal exposure and to evaluate the potential clothing penetration.

Hand washing samples were also obtained to assess fuel hydrocarbons on the skin as a result of routine contact with equipment surfaces such as the dispenser nozzle grip, button panel, and dispenser hoses. Dermal exposure to petrol and diesel fuel was also quantified as the amount of individual hydrocarbon congeners ranging from C 6-C 28. These determinations were supplemented with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m+p-xylene, o-xylene, methyl t-butyl ether, n-hexane, and n-heptane measurements using gas chromatography with mass selective detection.