One of the top 20 chemicals used in the United States, benzene has been shown to cause a number of blood-related cancers, including:
- acute myeloid leukemia (AML);
- acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL);
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL);
- multiple myeloma; and
- non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Benzene exposure is a particular concern for those who work around gasoline and crude oil, both of which contain the dangerous substance. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that Americans used 137 billion gallons of gasoline last year.
Now scientists with Northwestern University reportedly have discovered a way to remove benzene from gasoline.
Northwestern University Scientists Experimenting With Catalyst that Removes Benzene from Gasoline
The exciting new research is being developed by Northwestern’s Tobin J. Marks and his research team. Marks is a professor of materials science and engineering in the university’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Gasoline contains a mixture of aromatics that includes benzene. The aromatics work to improve fuel efficiency. The problem, of course, is that benzene causes cancer. Marks’ team has developed a catalyst that removes benzene from the mixture of aromatics, resulting in gasoline that is cleaner and more efficient.
The catalyst is an organometallic molecule. Although some catalysts are made with platinum, which is expensive, the catalyst that the Northwestern scientists have developed is made of a simple, affordable metal. This means that the process of removing benzene from gasoline with the catalyst would be affordable, keeping the price of gasoline down.
Marks’ research team includes scientists from Universal Oil Products and Argonne National Laboratory. Their findings were published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Contact Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel to Learn More About Filing a Benzene Lawsuit
The lawyers at Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel have been representing people who have been sickened by toxic exposures for more than twenty years. Have you or a loved one been exposed to benzene and been diagnosed with one of the following cancers,acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)? If so, call our benzene attorneys at 800.226.9880 to learn more about how we can assist you with a benzene lawsuit.
