what does benzene do to the human body

Benzene works by causing cells not to work correctly. For example, it can cause bone marrow

not to produce enough red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Also, it can damage the immune system by changing blood levels of antibodies and causing the loss of white blood cells.

Full Answer

What are the harmful effects of benzene?

• Depletion of intracellular glutathione – a critical antioxidant
• Generation of oxygen free radicals
• Induction of apoptosis or cellular death
• DNA damage
• Altered differentiation in progenitor cells
• Depletion of the stem cell pool

How much benzene is harmful?

Brief exposure (5–10 minutes) to very high levels of benzene in air (10,000–20,000 ppm) can result in death. Lower levels (700–3,000 ppm) can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremors, confusion, and unconsciousness. How do you limit the exposure of benzene? Avoid skin contact with gasoline.

What are the effects of benzene on the human body?

The probability of death increases in the following cases:

• presence of diseases the endocrine system;
• predisposition to development of allergic reactions;
• the lack of iron in the body.

Is benzene bad for You?

The major effect of benzene from long-term exposure is on the blood. (Long-term exposure means exposure of a year or more.) 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.

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What organs are affected by benzene?

Human exposure to benzene in work environment is a global occupational health problem. After inhalation or absorption, benzene targets organs viz. liver, kidney, lung, heart and brain etc. It is metabolized mainly in the liver by cytochrome P450 multifunctional oxygenase system.

How long does benzene stay in your body?

Benzene is quickly eliminated from your system, usually within 48 hours. It is converted to products, medically known as metabolites, in the liver and bone marrow. Some of the harmful consequences of benzene exposure are caused by these metabolites.

What does benzene do to your brain?

Neurological effects have been commonly reported in humans following high-level exposure to benzene. Fatal inhalation exposure has been associated with vascular congestion in the brain. Chronic inhalation exposure has been associated with distal neuropathy, difficulty in sleeping, and memory loss.

What are three symptoms you would experience if you are exposed to benzene?

For example, breathing in high levels of benzene could result in: Drowsiness or sleepiness. Dizziness. Rapid heart rate.

What foods have benzene in them?

Benzene was detected in Cola, Cola light, orange, carbonated beverages although lesser than the permissible amount of water. It was also detected in carrot juice. Carrot juices may be contaminated with benzene because they have to be exposed to high temperatures to remove microbial contamination.

What products has benzene in it?

The lab, Valisure, last year detected benzene in hand sanitizers, sunscreens, deodorant, dry shampoos, conditioners, antiperspirants, deodorants, body sprays and anti-fungal treatments.

What soft drinks have benzene?

The five drinks listed by the government were Safeway Select Diet Orange, Crush Pineapple, AquaCal Strawberry Flavored Water Beverage, Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange and Giant Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail. The high levels of benzene were found in specific production lots of the drinks, the FDA said.

What is the common name of benzene?

BenzeneNamesPreferred IUPAC name BenzeneOther names Benzol (historic/German) Cyclohexa-1,3,5-triene; 1,3,5-Cyclohexatriene [6]Annulene (not recommended)IdentifiersCAS Number71-43-269 more rows

Can benzene be absorbed through your skin?

Benzene is absorbed rapidly and extensively after inhalation and ingestion. It is absorbed less extensively through intact skin; however, percutaneous absorption may contribute to total body burden.

What are the long term effects of benzene?

Long-term benzene exposure mostly affects the blood. It can damage bone marrow or cause anemia and excessive bleeding. The chance for infections also increases since benzene can affect the immune system. Research also shows that women who were exposed could experience damage to their reproductive system.

What are four known health effects of benzene exposure?

Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure of humans to benzene may cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, as well as eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, and, at high levels, unconsciousness.

What cancers Does benzene cause?

IARC classifies benzene as “carcinogenic to humans,” based on sufficient evidence that benzene causes acute myeloid leukemia (AML). IARC also notes that benzene exposure has been linked with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Can you get benzene out of your system?

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.

How do you neutralize benzene?

The level of benzene in blood can be efficiently reduced, an its noxious effect neutralized, by the concurrent administration of either of two groups of organic compounds: 1) methyl donors such as choline and betaine; and, 2) cysteine-HCL.

What soft drinks have benzene?

The five drinks listed by the government were Safeway Select Diet Orange, Crush Pineapple, AquaCal Strawberry Flavored Water Beverage, Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange and Giant Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail. The high levels of benzene were found in specific production lots of the drinks, the FDA said.

What causes benzene on the skin?

If you spill benzene on your skin, redness and ulceration may occur. Eye contact with benzene can cause irritation and damage to the cornea. Prolon...

What things contain benzene?

Benzene can also be found in glues, adhesives, cleaning products and paint strippers. Outdoor air contains low levels of benzene from secondary tob...

How is benzene released into the environment?

It is basically released as a result of incomplete combustion processes and evaporation of certain fuels. The National Inventory of Pollutant Emiss...

When is benzene considered toxic?

Brief exposure (5 to 10 minutes) to very high levels in air (31,943,000 to 63,886,000 μg/m3 [10,000-20,000 ppm]) can result in death.

What type of reactions does benzene exhibit?

Their reactions can be classified in two groups: Reactions with destruction of aromatic character. Electrophilic substitution reactions.

How is benzene transported?

Benzene can be transferred to the air from water and soil. Read more What is total taxable compensation income?

What is the function of benzene?

Benzene is used as a starting point to manufacture other chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics, resins and synthetic fibers. Benzene is als...

Who made benzene?

Kekulé’s best known work focused on the structure of benzene. In 1865, Kekulé published a paper in French and German in which he suggested that the...

What does it mean that benzene has low reactivity?

It shows very low reactivity to addition reactions. Benzene is a flat molecule with a high degree of saturation which favors substitution reactions...

How does benzene affect the immune system?

It reduces the number of antibodies, forcing the white blood cells to reduce drastically. The effects of benzene are usually based on how long the person has been exposed to it, how old the person, the amount the person was exposed to, as well as a prior medical condition.

What happens when benzene is in contact with the circulatory system?

When benzene comes in contact with the circulatory system, it makes the bone marrow not to create the right amount of red blood cells. This, in turn, leads to a condition called anemia.

Where does benzene come from?

Benzene is found in outdoor air and comes from gas stations, tobacco smokes emission from industries, and so on.

Can benzene cause vomiting?

The vomiting caused by consuming foods that have benzene can be drawn to the lungs, which can lead to coughing and bad breathing problems.

Is benzene a solvent?

It is one hydrocarbon that is commonly seen in petroleum and coal tar. It is very dangerous to our health and is hardly used as a solvent because of its dangerous carcinogenic properties.

Is benzene the same as benzoic acid?

As a side note benzene is not the same as benzoic acid. You can read more about benzoic acid here.

How does benzene affect the body?

(Long-term exposure means exposure of a year or more.) Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia.

How does benzene affect the immune system?

For example, it can cause bone marrow not to produce enough red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Also, it can damage the immune system by changing blood levels of antibodies and causing the loss of white blood cells.

How to get rid of benzene in your body?

Washing yourself. As quickly as possible, wash any benzene from your skin with large amounts of soap and water. Washing with soap and water will help protect people from any chemicals on their bodies. If your eyes are burning or your vision is blurred, rinse your eyes with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes.

How to protect yourself from benzene?

First, if the benzene was released into the air, get fresh air by leaving the area where the benzene was released. Moving to an area with fresh air is a good way to reduce the possibility of death from exposure to benzene in the air.

What is the source of benzene in the air?

How you could be exposed to benzene. 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, ...

How serious is benzene poisoning?

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.

What is benzene used for?

Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals that are used to make plastics, resins, and nylon and synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.

What Characteristics Does Benzene Have?

It is highly flammable and evaporates very quickly , though in gaseous form, it is heavier than normal air and as such may sink down into low-lying areas and valleys.

How is benzene produced?

However, while benzene is organically produced via volcanoes, forest fires and as a naturally occurring part of oil, gasoline and smoke, the amount produced by nature pales in comparison to that resulting from man-made activities. The vast majority of benzene in our atmosphere comes about as a result of mining, industry or transport.

How is benzene released into the atmosphere?

It is released into the atmosphere via exhaust fumes from vehicles, or in industrial plants where it is used in the production of chemical properties such as detergents, dyes, paints, adhesives, lubricants, plastics, pesticides and fibres, ...

Is benzene dangerous to humans?

Everyday inhalation or exposure to the gas (such as walking around a city heavy with exhaust fumes, inhaling the benzene present in cigarette smoke, paint, glue or detergents) is not thought to be an immediate risk to human health. However, a sudden exposure to extremely high levels of benzene can be fatal.

Is benzene a hydrocarbon?

Benzene is a naturally occurring component of crude oil, comprised entirely of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Because of this, it is classified as a hydrocarbon and is one of the most basic petrochemicals. However, while benzene is organically produced via volcanoes, forest fires and as a naturally occurring part of oil, gasoline and smoke, ...

Do you have to live close to a power plant to avoid benzene?

To ensure you minimise your exposure to benzene, do not live close by to a power plant which utilises the gas in its daily operations. If you work in such an industry, ensure your facility abides by the regulations set out in the above document and that benzene levels are kept at a minimum and harmless level.

What is benzene used for?

Various industries use benzene to make other chemicals , such as styrene (for Styrofoam® and other plastics), cumene (for various resins), and cyclohexane (for nylon and synthetic fibers). Benzene is also used in the manufacturing of some types of rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.

What happens if you eat benzene?

In animals, exposure to food or water contaminated with benzene can damage the blood and the immune system and can cause cancer.

What is the metabolite of benzene?

Certain metabolites of benzene, such as phenol, muconic acid, and S-phenylmercapturic acid can be measured in the urine. The amount of phenol in urine has been used to check for benzene exposure in workers. The test is useful only when you are exposed to benzene in air at levels of 10 ppm or greater.

How does benzene get into the air?

Benzene can pass into air from water and soil surfaces. Once in the air, benzene reacts with other chemicals and breaks down within a few days. Benzene in the air can also be deposited on the ground by rain or snow. Benzene in water and soil breaks down more slowly.

What is the source of benzene in the air?

Tobacco smoke is another source of benzene in air, particularly indoors. Industrial discharge, disposal of products containing benzene, and gasoline leaks from underground storage tanks release benzene into water and soil. Benzene can pass into air from water and soil surfaces.

How does benzene enter the body?

Benzene can enter your body through your lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and across your skin. When you are exposed to high levels of benzene in air, about half of the benzene you breathe in passes through the lining of your lungs and enters your bloodstream.

How is the general population exposed to benzene?

Exposure of the general population to benzene mainly occurs through breathing air that contains benzene.

What happens if you are exposed to benzene?

If you know you’ve been exposed to high levels of benzene: Get fresh air right away. Remove your clothes quickly and wash yourself all over with soap and water.

How many hand sanitizers contain benzene?

Hand sanitizer: A separate report in the same year found that 44 hand sanitizer products contained benzene.

What are the things that play a role in your body?

Other things that play a role include your age, your overall health, and any other conditions you have.

Is benzene in sunscreen?

Some art supplies. This is especially likely if you’re in an area that doesn't have good air flow. A 2021 report from Valisure found benzene in 78 sunscreens and sun-care products. A separate report in the same year found that 44 hand sanitizer products contained benzene.

Does benzene cause irregular periods?

Benzene can also damage nerves and cause other problems with your nervous system. Exposure to high levels of it may make ovaries smaller and cause irregular periods. How benzene can affect you depends on: Other things that play a role include your age, your overall health, and any other conditions you have.

Is benzene toxic to humans?

Benzene is a chemical found in nature and manufactured products. It’s highly toxic to humans, which means it can harm you if you swallow it, touch it, or breathe it in .

Can you inhale benzene?

You can also inhale benzene from cigarettes, whether you use them yourself or just breathe in the secondhand smoke. This accounts for about half of all exposure to benzene in the United States.

What is the effect of benzene on the body?

Benzene exposure to the skin causes the development of erythema, burning, and edema. In the gastrointestinal tract, benzene produces a burning sensation of the oral mucous membranes, esophagus, and stomach after ingestion, with associated nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Inhalational exposure causes bronchial irritation, cough, hoarseness, ...

What are the neoplasms associated with benzene?

A) Hematologic neoplasms such as leukemia have been associated with benzene exposure.

Is benzene a local irritant?

Typically patients who present to medical care with symptoms have been exposed chronically. 1) MILD TO MODERATE TOXICITY: Benzene is a local irritant. Benzene exposure to the skin causes the development of erythema, burning, and edema.

What are the consequences of benzene?

Studies of exposed North American workers earlier in the 20th century suggested that the risk of AA was 3% to 4% in men exposed to concentrations higher than 300 ppm and that 50% of individuals exposed to 100 ppm developed some blood cell count depression. Leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and lymphocytopenia are common consequences of benzene; other manifestations include macrocytosis, acquired Pelger-Huet anomaly, eosinophilia, basophilia, and less often, polycythemia, leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, or splenomegaly. The BM is usually normocellular but can show hypocellularity or hypercellularity; a hypercellular phase can precede complete aplasia. In addition to hypocellularity, chronically exposed workers can have BM necrosis, fibrosis, edema, and hemorrhage. BM failure and leukemia in benzene workers can manifest decades after exposure.

How does benzene get into the body?

In humans, women were found to absorb higher levels than men. After absorption, benzene is rapidly distributed throughout the body , and because of its high lipophilicity, it accumulates in the fatty tissues of different organs ( ATSDR, 2007a ).

What are the end products of benzene metabolism?

The major endproducts of benzene metabolism include phenol (hydroxybenzene), catechol (1,2-dihydroxybenzene), and quinol (1,4-dihydroxybenzene). These metabolic products are subsequently conjugated with inorganic sulfate and glucuronic acid in various degrees before being excreted in the urine. A small fraction of the catechol derived from benzene metabolism is oxidized to hydroxyhydroquinol or transformed to mucuronic acids.

What organs are responsible for metabolizing benzene?

Metabolism of benzene is essential to induce toxicity. Liver is the major organ for benzene metabolism, wherein CYP2E1 oxidizes benzene to benzene oxide and several reactive metabolites, which are capable of disrupting different cellular biochemical pathways inducing a wide range of toxic effects ( Snyder, 2004; Rappaport et al., 2010 ). Benzene oxide exists in equilibrium with its tautomer oxepin and is spontaneously converted to phenol, a major product of metabolism, which is either excreted as glucuronide or sulfate conjugates or further metabolized to catechol and hydroquinone that will be ultimately metabolized by myeloperoxidase to the highly reactive metabolites 1,2-benzoquinone and 1,4-benzoquinone, respectively. Benzene oxide may also react with GSH forming phenylmercapturic acid, which is converted to benzene dihydrodiol by EH, with subsequent conversion to catechol. Alternatively, benzoic acid may undergo an iron-catalyzed, ring-opening reaction to form trans, trans -muconaldehyde, with subsequent metabolism to trans, trans -muconic acid. Metabolism of benzene in humans and several animal species is similar; at low levels of exposure, benzene is metabolized rapidly and excreted, whereas at higher doses, owing to the saturation of the metabolic pathways, the unmetabolized parent compound accumulates in the fatty tissues and/or is excreted through exhaled air ( Snyder, 2004; Rappaport et al., 2010; Smith, 2010 ).

What are biomarkers of exposure to benzene?

Smith and Rothman (2000) applied several biomarker methods to samples obtained from workers exposed to high levels of benzene: adducts as biomarkers of exposure, genetic damage-gene duplicating mutation as biomarkers of effect, and chromosomal aberration in lymphocytes as biomarkers of effect. The authors reported results that affirmed the use of both Hb and Alb adducts of benzene oxide (BO) as biomarkers of exposure to high levels of benzene. BO is the initial metabolite of benzene which reacts with cysteinyl residues in Hb and Alb to form protein adducts (BO-Hb and BO-Alb), which are presumed to be specific biomarkers of exposure to benzene. In examining the glycophorin A (GPA) assay, an increased level of “gene-duplicating” mutations in GPA in the benzene-exposed workers was observed; however, the authors noted that the assay may not be an ideal biomarker of early effect as the assay is relatively insensitive and can only be performed on GPA heterozygous (type MN) individuals, who statistically constitute only 50% of any given population under study. The fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique suggested that aberrations in chromosomes 5, 7, 8, and 21 may be a useful biomarker of early biological effect, and that leukemia-specific changes in chromosomes 5 and 7 can be detected in the peripheral blood of otherwise healthy benzene-exposed workers.

What is the concentration of benzene in the air?

Urban areas, where the concentration of benzene might exceed 10 μg m −3, are more affected.

Where is benzene absorbed?

Benzene can also be readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Over 90% of ingested benzene is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Benzene is poorly absorbed dermally. Absorbed benzene is rapidly distributed throughout ...

What Characteristics Does Benzene have?

What Are The Effects on Humans?

Immediate Symptoms of Exposure to Benzene

Long-Term Health Effects of Benzene Exposure

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