Exposure to Airborne Benzene and UrinaryS-Phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) Concentrations in Junior High School Students in Bandung

Background: Benzene is one of toxic substances, known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) which has adverseimpact for health such as increasing the risk of lung function impairment and leukemia on humans. The amount of benzene around the world is formed from the process of fuel combustion including motor vehicle fuel combustion. Many schools in Indonesia are located near the main road with cramped motor vehicles. Aim: To obtain the description of benzene and S-phenymercapturic Acid (S-PMA) concentrations atthe school as one of benzene metabolites in students. Methods: The measured variableswere airborne benzene and S-PMA concentrations. Confounding variableswere age, duration of exposure, smoking status, and type of transportation used. This is a quantitative study with cross sectional research design. This research was conducted at State Junior High School 16 of Bandung on April until May 2017. The sample was 33 peopleselected by the simple random sampling. Results: Based on the result of statistical analysis at 10 spots of measurements, the airborne benzene was undetected (<0.092 ppm). The average concentration of urinary SPMA in students did not exceed the threshold limit value of 1.39 µg/g of creatinine. Conclusion: The airborne’sbenzene was still in low concentration with also normal concentration of S-PMA as one of the health indicator of benzene exposure.