Benzene

Regional record

Western New York history

• Benzene appears in regional records involving coke production, manufactured-gas plants, petroleum terminals, refineries, and fuel releases.
• The Tonawanda community air study is a major local record because DEC used monitoring and dispersion modeling to evaluate hazardous air pollutants associated with the industrial corridor.

These examples summarize the linked Atlas place records. Open those records for site-specific dates, findings, cleanup actions, and sources.

Environmental behavior

Persistence and movement

Benzene evaporates readily but can migrate through soil and persist in groundwater where oxygen and microbial breakdown are limited.

Pathways

How exposure may occur

• Breathing contaminated outdoor, indoor, or workplace air
• Drinking contaminated water
• Skin contact can contribute in occupational or concentrated-release settings

People

Potential long-term human effects

• Long-term exposure can damage bone marrow and reduce blood-cell production.
• Benzene is associated with leukemia and other blood-forming-system cancers.
• Shorter, higher exposures can affect the central nervous system.

Other living systems

Potential ecological effects

• Benzene can harm aquatic organisms at sufficient concentrations.
• Its volatility and biodegradation reduce long-term accumulation compared with persistent compounds such as PCBs.

Limits

Important uncertainty

Health risk depends strongly on air or water concentration, exposure duration, and route.