Dangerous properties of petroleum-refining products: carcinogenicity of motor fuels (gasoline)

Teratog Carcinog Mutagen. 1990;10(5):399-408. doi: 10.1002/tcm.1770100505.

Abstract

Gasoline contains large numbers of dangerous and cancer-causing chemicals such as benzene, butadiene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, trimethyl pentane, methyltertbutylether (MTBE) and many others. For the U.S. alone approximately 140 billion gallons of gasoline were consumed in 1989. An increase in only ten cents per gallon in price of gasoline generates 14 billion dollars in extra profit per year for oil industry cartel. Laboratory animals exposed to gasoline developed cancers in different tissues and organs. A number of epidemiological studies in humans provide evidence of increased cancer risk of leukemia, kidney, liver, brain, lymphosarcoma, lymphatic tissue pancreas and other tissues and organs.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogens*
  • Gasoline / toxicity*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / chemically induced
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Carcinogens
  • Gasoline