The concentration of benzene in ninety-eight collected food and drink samples (carbonated beverage, fruit juice, pickle, lime juice, mayonnaise and salad dressing, 16 samples from each) from Iran local markets were investigated using gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Moreover, the correlation of benzene concentration with sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid concentrations was assessed. Benzene concentration in carbonated beverages, fruit juices, pickle, lime juices, mayonnaise and salad dressing were 3.57 ± 1.70, 5.17 ± 3.63, 4.37 ± 2.24, 4.99 ± 0.54, 1.38 ± 0.87 and 1.47 ± 0.83 μg/L, respectively, being in all cases below the acceptable limit (10 μg/L) proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a reference for drinking water. Benzene concentration exceeded the maximum tolerable limit in 12.5% of carbonated beverages and fruit juices (two samples from each). A significant correlation coefficient between the concentrations of benzene, sodium benzoate, and ascorbic acid in fruit juices, and levels of benzene, sodium benzoate in carbonated beverage samples was observed. To characterize the risk of exposure of urban and rural consumers of Iran (female in age group of 15-24 and male in age group of 25-64) to benzene in food and drink samples the Margin of Exposure (MoE) approach was applied revealing there is no severe concern regarding benzene intake through assessed food and beverages samples in Iran.
Keywords: Ascorbic acid; Benzene; Carbonated beverage; Risk assessment; Sodium benzoate.
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