Determination of BTEX Pollutants in Ambient Air of The Holy City of Makkah

This study briefly aims to analyze the atmospheric BTEX pollutants (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, o, m, p-Xylene for the first time in Makkah and Saudi Arabia. It was carried out at three sampling locations (Al-Shebakah, Al-Azizia, and Mina) during Hajj season 1431H. Ambient air was adsorbed on adsorbent tubes and analyzed on GC–MS. The mean concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and Σ xylene in Al-Shebakah were 8.11; 15.85; 9.20 and 8.45, respectively, during day time and 31.44; 37.80; 42.03 and 38.71 μg/m^3 during night time, respectively. The measured values in Al-Azizia, were 11.75; 9.42; 18.8 and 33.49 during day time, meanwhile, they were 4.78; 6.67; 8.45; and 18.56 μg/m^3, respectively during night time. The third location Mina, the obtained values were 3.16; 8.07; 6.20; and 5.55 during day time and 34.03; 52.39; 35.52; and 64.51 μg/m^3 during night time, respectively. The present study indicated that exposure to aromatic VOCs is to large extent influenced by different activities, weather conditions and diurnal variation in Makkah. In conclusion, the high levels of VOCs in the holy city are sufficient to represent a degree of risk to the pilgrims as well as the local populations and a more comprehensive studies all over the year would be required for better quantifying the problem.