1. Tomeka S. Nailer, Luma Akil and H. Anwar Ahmad
THE IMPACT OF BENZENE EMISSION ON HUMAN HEALTH IN TEXAS LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI
Tomeka S. Nailer, Luma Akil and H. Anwar Ahmad
Department of Biology/ Environment of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
Thirteenth International Symposium on Recent Advances in Environmental Health Research 
The data analyzed in this study were collected from the following sources, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mississippi Department of Health, the TX Cancer Registry and the Louisiana Tumor Registry.
An inventory of oil refineries was organized/tabulated to determine the quantity of benzene emissions from each state to evaluate its impact on human health.
To evaluate the amount of benzene released into the atmosphere, data were acquired from TX, LA, and MS from 2005 to 2013.
Leukemia incident rates from 2005 to 2013 were compared to determine the association with benzene emissions in the states of TX, LA, and MS.
Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were performed using the software SAS v. 9.4.
Figure 2. Benzene emissions and Leukemia cases from in LA, MS and TX. Texas showed a high level of benzene emission and Leukemia cases compared to LA and MS.
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
TX emits more benzene into the atmosphere compared to LA and MS together, due mainly to the presence of more oil refineries.
Benzene level in Texas is significantly (p< ) higher than LA and MS (1.45 ± 1.05, 1.15 ±0.78 and 0.72± 0.24, respectively for TX, LA and MS).
Figure 3, Analysis of benzene emission shows TX has significantly (p< ) higher levels than LA and MS (1.45 ± 1.05, 1.15 ±0.78 and 0.72± 0.24 respectively for TX, LA and MA).
Figure 4, Significant correlation between benzene emissions and leukemia rates. R2 = 0.25; y =11.446x
Benzene is a flammable, sweet odor hydrocarbon that occurs naturally in crude oil and gasoline. It is an effective carcinogen that poses a health threat to Americans.
The main sources of benzene exposure are companies associated with chemical plants, petroleum refining operation, oil storage tanks and gasoline service stations.
Benzene is amongst many pollutants contributing to the health concerns particularly in communities that house high number of refineries. Benzene emissions have been associated with the development of leukemia.
The aim of this study is to identify oil refineries with high levels of benzene emissions in TX, LA, and MS; to evaluate the levels of benzene trends captured in these three southern states from 2005 to 2013; and to establish association between benzene exposure and incidence rates of leukemia in the three southern states.
UNITED STATES
OIL REFINERIES MAP
With higher benzene emission in the atmosphere, TX residents are at higher risk of acquiring leukemia.
Texas alone emits more benzene into the atmosphere than MS and LA combined, mainly due to the presence of high number of oil refineries.
Texas showed an increased level of benzene in the atmosphere because of the high quantity of oil refineries located in Texas (25), whereas Louisiana has 19 and Mississippi has only 5.
As the levels of benzene increase into the atmosphere, so does the rate of leukemia, as revealed by our analyses, with 25% association between benzene emissions and leukemia cases.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Acknowledgements: This work is supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number G12MD and by the Mississippi INBRE, funded by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20GM  The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.