{
  "abstract": "This study investigated spatial and operational variations in airborne benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX), personal exposure, and inhalation health risks in eight healthcare-waste treatment units in Hamadan, Iran. A total of 64 area air samples were collected, with 16 samples for each location–condition combination (indoor inactive, indoor post-treatment, perimeter inactive, and perimeter post-treatment), and personal breathing-zone samples were obtained from 16 workers. BTEX was analyzed by gas chromatography, and health risks were estimated using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency framework. Risk estimates were based on 4 h/day of exposure, 300 exposure days/year, and the selected toxicity values. Monte Carlo simulation with 10,000 iterations characterized risk variability and sensitivity. Mean total BTEX increased significantly from 178.50 ± 15.56 to 307.57 ± 19.45 µg/m ³ indoors and from 34.54 ± 3.18 to 64.22 ± 6.69 µg/m ³ at perimeter locations. Post-treatment concentrations were positively associated with temperature and the number of autoclave cycles and inversely associated with time since the last cycle and relative humidity (RH). Post meridiem (PM)-shift workers had higher total BTEX exposure, hazard index (HI), and daily inhalation dose than ante meridiem (AM)-shift workers. Aggregate HI remained < 1 in observed and simulated estimates under the specified exposure assumptions. In contrast, benzene and cumulative carcinogenic risks exceeded 1 × 10 –6 but remained below 1 × 10 –4 . Exposure time was the dominant contributor to non-carcinogenic risk variability. These findings support continued occupational monitoring and control of autoclave-related BTEX exposure, particularly during post-treatment activities and prolonged exposure.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Ali Shojaei"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mohammad Khazaei"
    },
    {
      "name": "Roohollah Rostami"
    },
    {
      "name": "Abdulrahman Bahrami"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mohammad Reza Samarghandi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mohammad Taghi Samadi"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2vsbbkcszn2j4.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41598-026-74540-1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "2vsbbkcszn2j4",
  "issns": [
    "2045-2322"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74540-1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2307|Air Quality and Health Impacts"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7215030341",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74540-1_reference.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2vsbbkcszn2j4.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
      "native_id": "10.1038/s41598-026-74540-1",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74540-1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2307|Air Quality and Health Impacts",
      "subfield": "pharmacology-toxicology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Environmental and personal BTEX exposure and inhalation health risks in healthcare-waste treatment units",
  "title_text": "Environmental and personal BTEX exposure and inhalation health risks in healthcare-waste treatment units",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2vsbbkcszn2j4",
  "venue": "Scientific Reports",
  "versions": []
}