What is a form of toxicity that can be caused by chronic benzene exposure?

See Also: Toxicological Abbreviations Benzene (EHC 150, 1993) Benzene (ICSC) BENZENE (JECFA Evaluation) Benzene (IARC Monograph, Volume 120, 2018) Benzene (IARC Summary & Evaluation, Supplement7, 1987) Benzene (IARC Summary & Evaluation, Volume 7, 1974) Benzene (IARC Summary & Evaluation, Volume 29, 1982)

Benzene is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. It evaporates into air very quickly and dissolves slightly in water. Benzene is highly flammable. It is widely used in the United States as a constituent in motor fuels and as a solvent. Benzene is also used to make plastics, dyes, detergents, drugs and pesticides. Tobacco smoke and gasoline contain benzene, and natural sources of benzene include emissions from volcanoes and forest fires.

Who is exposed to benzene?

Exposure to benzene can occur through inhalation and ingestion. Sources of benzene exposure in air come from tobacco smoke, gas stations, exhaust from motor vehicles and industrial emissions. Smoking produces 50% of exposure to benzene in the United States. About 20% of the total national exposure to benzene account from auto exhaust and industrial emissions. Exposure to higher levels of benzene in air affects people living in cities or industrial areas more than those living in rural areas. For most people, the level of exposure to benzene through food, beverages, or drinking water is not as high as through air.

How can benzene affect my health?

Acute Effects: Short-term inhalation of benzene can cause headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion and unconsciousness in humans. Ingestion of large amounts of benzene may cause vomiting, irritation in stomach, sleepiness, convulsions, rapid heart rate and death. Studies in animals show neurologic, immunologic and hematologic effects from inhalation and oral exposure. Short-term exposure in rats and mice shows low acute toxicity.

Chronic Effects: Long-term inhalation exposure to benzene can affect bone marrow and can cause blood disorders in humans. Benzene causes anemia, excessive bleeding and damage to the immune system. Women who breathe high levels of benzene may have irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of the ovaries. There is no information on the effects of fertility in men.

How likely is benzene to cause cancer?

Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, particularly acute myelogenous leukemia, often referred to as AML. This is a cancer of the blood forming organs. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that benzene is a known carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have determined that benzene is carcinogenic to humans.

How can benzene affect children?

Children are affected by benzene exposure in the same way that adults are. It is not known whether children are more susceptible than adults. Benzene can pass through the mother’s blood to a fetus. Benzene has been shown to delay bone formation, and damage bone marrow in animal studies where a pregnant animal was exposed to benzene in the air.

Is there a medical test to determine whether I have been exposed to benzene?

There are several medical tests to determine benzene exposure. There are tests for benzene in both the breath and blood. However, these are only useful for recent exposures because benzene is removed from the body quickly.

There are also tests for various benzene metabolites. For example, s-phenylmercapturic acid can be measured in urine to indicate benzene exposure. It also must be done soon after exposure, and does not indicate how much benzene you have been exposed to, and cannot predict health effects.

How can I reduce the risk of exposure to benzene?

You can reduce exposure to benzene by limiting your contact with gasoline and cigarette smoke. People who smoke should not smoke in the house, in enclosed environments, or near children.

Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit is 1 part per million (ppm) benzene in workplace air. The Reference Concentration (RfC) for benzene is 30 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) Minimal Risk Level (MRL) for acute inhalation is 30 µg/m3, chronic inhalation is 10 µg/m3 and oral consumption is 0.0005 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day (mg/kg/day). EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is 5 parts per billion (ppb).

Benzene is a chemical used in many common industrial products. It is a colorless or light yellow liquid at room temperature and it is highly flammable. Like gasoline, benzene has a sweet odor that can help you detect its presence in the air. It can evaporate into the air and become breathed into the lung causing serious damage. It is dangerous to come into contact with and can cause a number of unpleasant or even life-changing symptoms and illnesses. Individuals working in industries that use benzene in their production are often the most at risk for developing benzene poisoning.

If you or someone you love has been exposed to benzene, it is important to know the signs and symptoms of benzene poisoning.  The following information will inform you about the effects of benzene and what to do in case you are exposed.

What is Benzene Poisoning?

Benzene is a colorless petroleum-based chemical that is used to manufacture industrial dyes, explosives, synthetic rubber, detergents, plastics and pesticides. It is also found in gasoline and the smoke that comes from cigarettes.

Benzene poisoning can be lethal because it causes the cells in the body to work incorrectly. Benzene exposure can cause bone marrow cells to not produce red blood cells or it can can cause the white blood cells of your immune system to fail. There is a window of time after smelling benzene during a leak to be able to take action or leave the area without any harm, but persistent exposure can be dangerous.

Like all poisons, the severity of benzene poisoning is directly related to the amount of exposure you’ve had to benzene, as well as the route of contact and the length of time you were exposed. In addition, pre-existing medical conditions and age can play a large role in the severity of your benzene poisoning symptoms.

Where is Benzene Found?

As mentioned, Benzene can be found in gasoline and diesel fuel. As such, it can be found outdoors as a result of industrial emissions, motor vehicle exhaust fumes, and tobacco smoke. In fact, one of the largest sources of benzene exposure is tobacco smoke.

It is a common ingredient in many industrial solvents and can also be added to paints and lacquers. Some of the most common places you can find benzene indoors includes glues, paints, and detergents. It is not legal or safe for benzene to be used in home cleaning products, toys or equipment and is only fit for industrial purposes.

It can be released into air via sprays and aerosols, mists, or vapors which can be especially harmful in an agricultural setting. It can also be found in contaminated water or food.

It is highly flammable with a very low flash point. It is heavier than air, so during a leak it tends to be found down low in sewer areas where it can pool. Benzene poisoning occurs after the chemical is swallowed, inhaled or touched with exposed skin. If you or someone you love has been exposed to benzene, immediate action must be taken following contact.

Signs of Benzene Exposure

If you’ve been exposed to benzene, the symptoms you experience will be dependent on the type of poisoning you’ve had.

Ingesting the substance, for example, can cause discomfort in the stomach and a loss of appetite. It can also cause a myriad of digestive symptoms, including:

• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Convulsions
• Pain in the abdomen
• Irritation of the stomach
• Death

Breathing in benzene, will affect you differently. For example, breathing in high levels of benzene could result in:

• Drowsiness or sleepiness
• Dizziness
• Rapid heart rate
• Headaches
• Confusion
• Pale skin
• Bumps on skin
• Tight chest feeling
• Unconsciousness
• Euphoria
• Weakness
• Death

It is possible in extreme cases that you can go into shock and collapse.

Long Term Effects of Benzene Exposure

Long-term exposure of over a year or more to benzene is not safe. These effects can be devastating to the body and cause significant harm to an individual’s blood. It can cause excessive bleeding, a significantly reduced and ineffective immune system and anemia.  Women may experience irregular menstrual cycles and it can affect fertility levels. The Department of Health and Human Services has also warned that long-term exposure to benzene can cause blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma.

What to Do If You Suspect Benzene Exposure

If you think you may have been exposed to benzene, the first step is to seek professional medical assistance. It is essential that you do not try to vomit up the chemical if you have swallowed it. If you have breathed in benzene, seek fresh air as quickly as possible. Get outdoors and as far away from the benzene exposure as possible. If you are indoors, your building may evacuate you to a specific shelter specifically for incidents of chemical exposure.

While you are waiting for assistance, remove your clothing and avoid pulling benzene exposed clothing over your head. Instead, try to cut off the clothing and remove it from your body as quickly as possible. Wash yourself and your skin with warm soap and water. Flush out any benzene that might be in the mouth or eyes for at least fifteen minutes. Remove any contact lenses that may have come in contact with benzene and discard them immediately with your contaminated clothing.

When discarding contaminated clothing, place your clothes inside a plastic bag and avoid touching them with your hands. Wear rubber gloves or use tongs if necessary. Place that bag inside another sealed plastic bag in order to protect others from coming in contact with the contaminated clothing items.

You can also contact the national poison line, but in the first instance it should be a medical professional or 911. When you call emergency services, they will need to know your age, weight, the time the product was swallowed / inhaled, and the exact name of the product. If you are calling on behalf of someone else, you’ll still need all of this information in advance so that the medical team can treat the patient quickly and effectively. When emergency medical personnel arrive, be sure to let them discard your contaminated clothing appropriately.

When you reach the hospital, blood tests will be taken, fluids will be delivered through an IV, and you may be required to undergo an endoscopy. This is where a camera looks into your stomach via the throat to ensure there’s no permanent damage.

Outlook after Benzene Exposure

The faster you seek medical advice and assistance after exposure, the more likely you are to have a quick recovery. When the poisoning is severe, or when there is a dramatic reaction, death is a possibility and can occur anywhere up to three days after the incident.

Benzene poisoning can be a serious and life altering accident, but there are ways to protect yourself to ensure you remain safe. If you feel you or a loved one has experienced benzene poisoning, call us or visit our website for more information on your legal options.

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