Archive for: 2008

Benzene Exposure Facts

December 1, 2008

Benzene is a chemical that is a colorless or light yellow liquid at room temperature. It has a sweet odor and is highly flammable.
Benzene evaporates into the air very quickly. Its vapor is heavier than air and may sink into low-lying areas.
Benzene dissolves only slightly in water and will float on top of water.

Benzene is formed from both natural processes and human activities.
Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke.
Benzene is widely used in the United States. It ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production volume.
Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals that are used to make plastics, resins, nylon and synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.
Benzene is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.

Outdoor air contains low levels of benzene from tobacco smoke, gas stations, motor vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions.
Indoor air generally contains levels of benzene higher than those in outdoor air.
The benzene in indoor air comes from products that contain benzene such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents.
The air around hazardous waste sites or gas stations can contain higher levels of benzene than in other areas.
Benzene leaks from underground storage tanks or from hazardous waste sites containing benzene can contaminate well water.
People working in chemical plants, refineries and industries that make or use benzene may be exposed to the highest levels.
Benzene is often transported in tanks on barges and chemical ships.

Benzene can cause cells not to function correctly. For example, it can cause bone marrow not to produce enough red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Benzene can also damage the immune system by changing blood levels of antibodies and causing the loss of white blood cells.
The seriousness of poisoning caused by benzene depends on the amount, route, and length of time of exposure, as well as the age and preexisting medical condition of the exposed person.

People who breathe in high levels of benzene may develop the following signs and symptoms within minutes to several hours:

Long-term benzene exposure, such as a year or more, will effect the blood. Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia. It can also cause excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance for infection.
Exposure to low and high levels of benzene containing products can cause cancers including AML leukemia, Multiple Myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes MDS, Aplastic Anemia (AA), , acute myelogenous leukemia, and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL).
Some women who breathed high levels of benzene for many months had irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries. It is not known whether benzene exposure affects the developing fetus in pregnant women or fertility in men.
Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation, and bone marrow damage when pregnant animals breathed benzene.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that benzene causes cancer in humans. Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, cancer of the blood-forming organs.

Benzene poisoning is treated with supportive medical care in a hospital setting.
No specific antidote exists for benzene poisoning.
The most important thing is for victims to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.