BENZENE EMISSIONS FROM MOTOR-VEHICLE TRAFFIC IN THE URBAN AREA OF MILAN - HYPOTHESIS OF HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Several problems concerning air quality in urban areas with special re gard to benzene pollution from motor vehicle traffic are described. So me medical and regulatory aspects relative to the exposure of populati on and specific classes of workers are given particular stress. Benzen e concentrations measured in the metropolitan area of Milan in an exte nsive monitoring campaign are presented together with historical carbo n monoxide (CO) measurements realized by the Milan air pollution netwo rk. Starting from these two series of values a typical ratio between C O and benzene has been calculated and it has been found to be consiste nt with literature data. A risk assessment hypothesis has been perform ed using a simple model based on both kinds of data mentioned above.