Table 2.
Occupational exposure limits and air quality guideline values for exposure to benzene, toluene and xylene.
Standards and Guidelines | Regulatory Body | Description | Benzene (µg/m3) | Toluene (µg/m3) | Xylenes (µg/m3) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) | American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), USA | Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) | 1600 | 75,000 | 435,000 |
Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) | 8000 | Not available | 655,000 | ||
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), USA | Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) | 3250 | 750,000 | 435,000 | |
Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) | 16,250 | Not available | 655,000 | ||
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), USA | Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) | 325 | 375,000 | 435,000 | |
Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) | 3250 | 560,000 | 65,500 | ||
South African Occupational Health and Safety (SAOHS), South Africa | Occupational Exposure limit (OEL) | 1600 | 175,000 | 435,000 | |
European Directives 2000/39/EC and 97/42/EC (ED), European Union | Limit Value (LV) for occupational exposure | 3250 | Not available | Not available | |
Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) | World Health Organisation (WHO), Global | 1week (toluene) | Not available | 260 | |
24h (xylene) | 480 | ||||
European Union Directives 2000/69/EC, European Union | Annual mean | 5 | Not available | Not available | |
Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (EPAQS), UK | Annual mean | 16.25 | Not available | Not available | |
Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objective (AAAQO), Government of Alberta, Canada | 1h (benzene) | 30 | |||
24h (toluene; xylene) | 400 | 700 |