Lead or benzene

1994/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Ingurumena

Lead-free gasoline in cars began to be used years ago. It is true that the air of the cities is not affected so much by the burning of gasoline without lead, but also has disadvantages the gasoline without lead. Oil companies have replaced organic lead compounds (lead tetraethylene or lead tetramethylene) with a higher concentration of benzene.

But benzene is a potent carcinogen and in the gas stations there are many people who are forced to breathe gasoline vapors. In addition, your staff uses lead-free gasoline usually to wash hands. The solution would be to limit the concentration of benzene in gasoline.

In the figure above can be observed in percentage the consumption of gasoline without lead in Europe in the year 1992.