An overview of commonly used methods for measuring benzene in ambient air

Emitted primarily from traffic, benzene has been identified as a carcinogen, inflicting deleterious effects on human health. This has mandated a high degree of scientific attention, both to measure ambient levels in urban regions and to explore mitigation strategies, which can form the basis of policy. In this paper, we present an overview of the most commonly used methods for measurements of atmospheric benzene. The results from field inter-comparisons involving a BTEX monitor as well as with manual pumped tube sampling and diffusive sampling are presented. Finally, monitoring strategies are discussed.