Sources of Benzene Pollution

Benzene is a widely occurring toxic hydrocarbon. Major outdoor sources include automobile exhaust, wood burning, and industrial emissions (Statements 1 and 3). Indoor sources heavily include tobacco smoke (Statement 2) and off-gassing from consumer products like glues, paints, furniture wax, varnishes (Statement 4), and synthetic materials like polyurethane foams (Statement 5). The official UPSC key marked 'd' as correct. > One-line conceptual takeaway: Benzene exposure occurs pervasively through the combustion of organic matter and the degradation of volatile household chemicals. Answer: (d).