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The first major industrial use of benzene was in the rubber industry when they used the carcinogen as a solvent before World War I. During the WWI, toluene in the manufacture of explosives increased the production of benzene greatly. Soon benzene was being used readily as a solvent in artificial leather, rubber goods, and rotogravure printing industries, and as a starting material in organic synthesis. The expanded use of benzene in industry following WWI found that the number of reports of chronic benzene poisoning of workers began surfacing in literature. The growing knowledge of the hazardous conditions associated with benzene due to the seriousness of the health effects that resulted, led to a gradual substitution of benzene with other solvents. Thus, there was soon a noticeable decrease in the number of benzene poisoning cases reported.
In 1967, just about 800 million gallons of benzene was produced in the U.S., and by 1969, it had increased to 1,185 million gallons with about 16% of the production coming from coal. Benzene mainly comes from the petroleum industry today as it is produced as a petrochemical from paraffinic hydrocarbons. There are estimates that more than 3 million workers are still potentially exposed to benzene every year, and industries and processes using benzene include coke and gas, chemical, printing and lithography, paint, rubber, dry cleaning, adhesives, petroleum, and coatings. Chemical laboratories use benzene as a solvent and a reactant in many various chemical applications.
A recent study conducted by the Conservation Alabama Foundation (CAF) has found that four of Alabama's largest cities contain highly polluted air, including high levels of benzene. Amo...
Texas couple Jan and James Callihan filed a lawsuit against six petrochemical companies, claiming the products the defendants produce and distribute exposed James to unsafe levels of benzene. They allege this exposure is what caused J...
Three-term Houston Mayor Bill White has recently found a creative way to try to force certain industries into making changes that would reduce their excessive benzene emissions – by interfering with the renewal of their operating permits.
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