MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2020) The International Space Station (ISS) crew has been exposed to higher levels of benzene, but its concentration is not life-threatening, a spokesperson of Russia's Roscosmos space corporation told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"The concentration of benzene in the atmosphere of the station does not exceed the exposure limit. There is no threat to the crew. Monitoring of increasing concentration continues," the spokesperson said.
Benzene, an organic chemical compound, is a colorless liquid with a specific sweet smell. It is a natural constituent of crude oil and is used in the production of drugs, plastics, dyes and rubbers. Benzene is carcinogenic and toxic.
In March 2019, high levels of isopropyl alcohol were discovered on ISS soon after the arrival of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the station. The ISS crew managed to lower isopropyl alcohol levels from six milligrams per cubic meter (1.3 Pounds per 35 cubic foot) to two. Russia has sent complaints to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) over the issue.
The current ISS mission is manned by Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner and US astronaut Chris Cassidy.
