An investigation of environmental impact on health of workers at retail petrol pumps.

Ninety-four male pump workers, employed in 41 petrol filling stations in Kanpur (formerly Cawnpore) and Lucknow--both in the Ganges plain of north India--were clinically examined. Headache, redness in eyes, lacrimation and signs like coated and/or furred tongue, throat and/or conjunctival congestion and carious teeth were significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in workers exposed to petrol fumes than in controls, as also was the level of phenol in urine (P less than 0.01). Environmental measurements revealed higher concentrations of benzene, sulphur dioxide and photoionizable dust in the air at petrol stations, and most of the symptoms and signs could be attributed to petrol fumes and other environmental pollution.