Validation of exposure estimation for benzene in the Australian petroleum industry

Abstract

A nested case-control study was undertaken to investigate whether an excess of lympho-haematopoietic cancers in the Australian petroleum industry was associated with benzene exposure. The benzene exposures of the cases and controls were estimated using a quantitative algorithm based largely on exposures measured in the Australian petroleum industry. The algorithm was used to estimate, for each subject, the benzene exposure in parts per million (ppm) for each job held in the industry, and the cumulative exposure in ppm years. Because of the critical importance of the exposure assessment in this design of epidemiological study, particular attention was paid to the reliability of the inputs to ..