Application of Cnts (Carbon Nanotubes)/Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in the Measurement of Benzene in Soft Drinks Using a Gc-Ms Device: A Health Risk Assessment Publisher



Fesahat M ; Aslani R ; Arabameri M ; Rahimnia R ; Shariatifar N ; Sadighara P
Source: Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization Published:2026

Abstract

The objective of the present research was to determine benzene concentrations in soft drink samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after extraction with modified carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO/CNTs) as an adsorbent. The findings indicated that benzene was detected in all soft drink samples. The mean concentration of benzene was 0.15 µg/L and ranged from 0.1 to 0.2 µg/L. The benzene concentrations found in all analyzed samples were within the maximum permissible limits established by the World Health Organization (WHO, 10 µg/L), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 5 µg/L), and European Union (EU, 1 µg/L). The mean values of margin of exposure (MoE) for benzene in soft drinks for adults, children, and teens were 9.90E + 4, 2.83E + 4, and 7.67E + 4 cancers/year/ per 105 individuals, respectively. The average values of hazard quotient (HQ) for adults, children, and teens were 8.65E-5, 2.95E-4, and 1.12E-4, respectively. The mean values of incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for adults, children, and teens were 5.05E-9, 1.82E-8, and 6.44E-9, respectively. In all cases, MoE values were greater than 10,000, HQ values were below 1, and ILCR values were less than the priority risk level (E-4). Based on the results, it can be concluded that the consumption of soft drinks does not pose a serious health risk to Iranian people. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2026.