Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2025

Efficient Synthesis of Polyfunctionalized Benzenes in Water via Persulfate-promoted Benzannulation of α,β-Unsaturated Compounds and Alkynes
Published on: December 16, 2019
Investigating the Variation of Benzene and 1,3-Butadiene in the UK during 2000-2020
Rayne Holland1, M Anwar H Khan1, James C Matthews1
1School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
Abstract:
The concentrations of benzene and 1,3-butadiene in urban, suburban, and rural sites of the U.K. were investigated across 20 years (2000-2020) to assess the impacts of pollution control strategies. Given the known toxicity of these pollutants, it is necessary to investigate national long-term trends across a range of site types. We conclude that whilst legislative intervention has been successful in reducing benzene and 1,3-butadiene pollution from vehicular sources, previously overlooked sources must now be considered as they begin to dominate in contribution to ambient pollution. Benzene concentrations in urban areas were found to be ~5-fold greater than those in rural areas, whilst 1,3-butadiene concentrations were up to ~10-fold greater. The seasonal variation of pollutant concentration exhibited a maximum in the winter and a minimum in the summer with summer: winter ratios of 1:2.5 and 1:1.6 for benzene and 1,3-butadiene, respectively. Across the period investigated (2000-2020), the concentrations of benzene decreased by 85% and 1,3-butadiene concentrations by 91%. A notable difference could be seen between the two decades studied (2000-2010, 2010-2020) with a significantly greater drop evident in the first decade than in the second, proving, whilst previously successful, legislative interventions are no longer sufficiently limiting ambient concentrations of these pollutants. The health impacts of these pollutants are discussed, and cancer impact indices were utilized allowing estimation of cancer impacts across the past 20 years for different site types. Those particularly vulnerable to the adverse health effects of benzene and 1,3-butadiene pollution are discussed.
More Related Videos
07:49On-line Analysis of Nitrogen Containing Compounds in Complex Hydrocarbon Matrixes
Published on: August 5, 2016
07:24Combustion Chemistry of Fuels: Quantitative Speciation Data Obtained from an Atmospheric High-temperature Flow Reactor with Coupled Molecular-beam Mass Spectrometer
Published on: February 19, 2018
Related Concept Videos
NMR Spectroscopy of Benzene Derivatives
Electrophilic 1,2- and 1,4-Addition of HX to 1,3-Butadiene
Electrophilic Addition of HX to 1,3-Butadiene: Thermodynamic vs Kinetic Control
Benzene to 1,4-Cyclohexadiene: Birch Reduction Mechanism
Structure of Benzene: Kekulé Model
He proposed that benzene has a cyclic structure of six carbon atoms attached to one hydrogen atom each, with three alternating pi bonds.
π Molecular Orbitals of 1,3-Butadiene
The simplest conjugated diene is 1,3-butadiene: a four-carbon system where each carbon is sp2-hybridized and has an unhybridized p orbital that contains an unpaired electron. According to molecular orbital theory, atomic orbitals combine to form molecular orbitals such that the number...