Benzene and formaldehyde in air of two winter Olympic venues of “Torino 2006”

Abstract

The 20th edition of the Olympic Winter Games took place in Torino, Italy and in other 7 winter sport sites belonging to Torino district in February 2006. The Olympic Winter Games had competitions for 15 different sports, and involved around 2500 athletes, 650 judges and umpires, thousands of accredited journalists, and almost 2 million spectators. Aiming to conduct an environmental health survey related to this important event, and taking into account their known or suspected carcinogenicity properties, benzene (B) and formaldehyde (FA) were analyzed in air in two venues of the Torino Olympic Games: Torino and Pragelato. Air-FA and air-B were measured for a whole year with two fixed samplers and, during a whole competition day, with individual passive samplers worn by two groups of supporter volunteers chosen to represent the two sites. Air fixed measurements were simultaneously carried out in Torino and Pragelato all months from May 2005 to April 2006 while individual sampling were performed from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. on the 22th February 2006. On the whole, comparing Torino and Pragelato, air-B progress shows a significant and positive correlation (r=+0.572, p<0.01). The behaviour of air-FA is similar but not so evident. The secondary and primary origins of formaldehyde can justify the summer peak (June, July, and August 2005) but partially also January 2006. Comparing for Torino each February from 2005 to 2009 the "Olympic impact" on the quality of air is underlined but for benzene only. With a public health approach and considering the two venues, findings obtained by the individual samplers clearly show higher air pollution and, consequently, higher risk due to closer contact to several specific pollutant sources or environmental conditions.