Hookah smoke is one of the major indoor sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), including Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX). The present study aimed to investigate potential exposure to BTEX compounds among primary school children whose parents smoked hookah at home. BTEX concentrations in indoor air were measured in 60 residential buildings of Khesht, southwestern Iran (case = 30 and control = 30). Target compounds were sampled by charcoal tubes, and the samples were then analyzed by GC-FID. Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of BTX exposure for the children aged 7–13 years. The concentrations of benzene (7.19 ± 3.09 vs. 0.82 ± 0.5 μg/m³), toluene (1.62 ± 0.69 vs. 0.3 ± 0.22 μg/m³), and xylenes (2.9 ± 1.66 vs. 0.31 ± 0.22 μg/m³) were considerably higher in the indoor air of the case houses compared with the control houses (p < 0.05). The Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) of benzene for non-smoking and smoking houses were estimated 1.8 × 10⁻⁶ and 15 × 10⁻⁶, respectively, exceeding the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1 × 10⁻⁶). Moreover, Hazard Quotients (HQs) of all BTX compounds were < 1. The indoor benzene concentration was significantly influenced by the floor at which families lived and type of the kitchen. In order to prevent children’s exposure to BTX emitted by hookah, banning indoor smoking is the only way to eliminate these compounds in the indoor air.

水烟烟雾是室内挥发性有机化合物 (VOC) 的主要来源之一，包括苯、甲苯、乙苯和二甲苯 (BTEX)。本研究旨在调查父母在家中吸食水烟的小学生可能接触 BTEX 化合物的情况。在伊朗西南部 Khesht 的 60 座住宅楼中测量了室内空气中的 BTEX 浓度（病例 = 30，对照 = 30）。目标化合物通过炭管取样，然后通过 GC-FID 分析样品。蒙特卡罗模拟用于评估 7-13 岁儿童接触 BTX 的致癌和非致癌风险。苯（7.19 ± 3.09 vs. 0.82 ± 0.5 μg/m ³）、甲苯（1.62 ± 0.69 vs. 0.3 ± 0.22 μg/m ^{3 ）的浓度}) 和二甲苯 (2.9 ± 1.66 vs. 0.31 ± 0.22 μg/m ³ ) 在案例房的室内空气中明显高于对照房 (p < 0.05)。非吸烟房和吸烟房的苯增加的终生癌症风险 (ILCR) 估计分别为 1.8 × 10 ^-6和 15 × 10 ^-6，超过了世界卫生组织 (WHO) 和环境保护署的建议（ EPA) (1 × 10 ^-6）。此外，所有 BTX 化合物的危害商 (HQ) 均 < 1。室内苯浓度受家庭居住地板和厨房类型的显着影响。为了防止儿童接触到水烟散发的BTX，禁止室内吸烟是消除室内空气中这些化合物的唯一途径。