Which of the following are the reasons/factors for exposure to benzene pollution?
- 1.Automobile exhaust
- 2.Tobacco smoke
- 3.Wood burning
- 4.Using varnished wooden furniture
- 5.Using products made of polyurethane
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
Benzene is a volatile chemical released when fuels and other organic material burn, so vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke and wood burning are all recognised sources of exposure. Varnished wooden furniture and polyurethane products are not named in the official lists of benzene sources.
- ✓ 1. Benzene is present in motor vehicle exhaust and in petrol (gasoline) vapour.
- ✓ 2. Tobacco smoke contains benzene, and WHO calls active and passive smoke exposure a significant source of exposure.
- ✓ 3. Wood-burning fires are named among the common sources of benzene in air.
- ✗ 4. UPSC's key does not count this as a benzene source. EPA's summary names glues, paints and furniture wax among household sources, but not varnished wooden furniture itself.
- ✗ 5. Polyurethane products are not named among the recognised benzene sources in the EPA and WHO summaries, and UPSC's key does not count them.
Remember · Benzene comes from burning and fuels: vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, wood-burning fires, petrol vapour, and some glues and paints.
Sources
- US EPA, Benzene TEACH Chemical Summary ↗ “Benzene is an organic compound found most often in air as a result of emissions from burning coal and oil, gasoline vapors at gasoline service stations, motor vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke, wood-burning fires, some adhesives, and other sources … Sources include cigarette smoke; exhaust from motor vehicles; smoke from wood burning fires; and some household products which contain petroleum-based chemicals such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and lubricants.”
- WHO, Exposure to benzene: a major public health concern ↗ “Active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke is also a significant source of exposure.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·