A worrying discovery about the carcinogenic chemical benzene’s prevalence in homes with gas stoves has been made by a Stanford University study team.
It has been discovered that using gas cooking equipment causes benzene, which has been connected to an increased risk of leukemia and other blood cell malignancies, to enter millions of households.
The study shows that benzene levels inside can rise above those seen in secondhand tobacco smoke even when a single gas stovetop burner is used on high or a gas oven is set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
The study, which was published on June 15 in Environmental Science & Technology, also emphasizes how benzene is a persistent substance in homes, since the molecule may remain in the air for hours after the
cessation of gas stove usage.
These results highlight the need for greater awareness and the adoption of exposure mitigation strategies by shedding light on the possible health risks linked to gas stove emissions.
At the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Rob Jackson, the study’s main author and the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Provostial Professor of Earth System Science, stated, “Benzene forms in flames and other high-temperature environments, such as flares in oil fields and refineries.”
We now understand that benzene may also develop in household gas stove flames. Pollutant concentrations can be lowered with good ventilation; however, exhaust fans frequently fail to completely remove benzene exposure.
The use of gas stoves has been linked to higher indoor concentrations of the carcinogenic chemical benzene, which have been shown to reach levels observed in secondhand smoke.
