Benzene (C6H6) is a highly flammable, colorless liquid that evaporates quickly into the air. Benzene is used as an additive in petrol to increase the octane number (2). Benzene is a parent hydrocarbon of all aromatic compounds. Benzene is also found in some consumer products and is present in main stream and side stream tobacco smoke (Wallace, 1996). Methods . Benzene induced depression of blood elements may reverse after exposure is terminated, if bone marrow damage has not become irreversible. Everyone is exposed to a small amount of benzene every day, most often through breathing automobile exhaust and gasoline vapors, tobacco smoke and industrial emissions. Research and Development, has prepared this document on the Carcinogenic Effects of Benzene: An Update to serve as a source document for the Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Mobile Sources, to support decision making regarding regulation of benzene as a hazardous air pollutant. Abstract. Benzene released into surface water evaporates in a few hours. Can cause effects as described for inhalation. The RfC is an inhalation exposure concentration at or below which adverse health effects are not likely to occur. These effects can be devastating to the body and cause significant harm to an individual’s blood. Current The present study suggests numbers of B lymphocytes and maturing erythrocytes, and frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes are sensitive indicators of benzene-induced hematotoxicity and will be useful in further investigation of the hematotoxicity induced by 10 to 100 ppm benzene. Benzene can be absorbed into your body if you: breathe in air containing benzene vapour; absorb it through your skin; swallow material containing it. Benzene can cause blood cancers like leukemia. Xiaojun Zhou School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China. Benzene health effects and hypothesized causal biological mechanisms Major health effects of concern for benzene-exposed workers are acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syn-drome (MDS), although high concentrations (especially > 100ppm) can also damage bone marrow and kill hematopoi- The aim of this review is to summarize all available evidences on non-cancerous health effects of benzene providing an overview of possible association of exposure to benzene with human chronic diseases, specially, in those regions of the world where benzene … A. Non-cancer Health Effects. Its use as a solvent has been greatly reduced in the last few years (3). • Benzene may cause central nervous system depression and arrhythmias to persons acutely exposed. They cannot predict possible health effects. They are expected to be affected by exposure in the same way as adults. Benzene is used in the chemical industry for the production of styrene/ethylbenzene, cumene/phenol, and cyclohexane (1). for how long. Exposure to benzene has been associated with adverse health effects, including haematopoietic disorders. Since the reproductive tract is exposed to metabolites of benzene, namely, phenol-hydroquinone and catechol, it is therefore imperative to evaluate their toxic effects on the sperm. Reported Health Effects Linked to TCE, PCE, Benzene and Vinyl Chloride […] Reply. Tunek A, Högstedt B, Olofsson T. The effects of benzene and benzene metabolites *hydroquinone and catechol) on bone marrow cellularity, number of granulopoietic stem cells and on the frequency of micronuclei in polychromatic … Aspiration hazard. Effects of Long-Term (Chronic) Exposure: Can cause dry, red, cracked skin (dermatitis) following skin … Effects of benzene and benzene metabolites on bone marrow cellularity, number of granulopoietic stem cells and frequency of micronuclei in mice. Background . Microbes in soil can break down benzene. Of the four possible combinations, only three are known—there are no meta directing activators. These workers were exposed to levels of benzene in air far greater than the levels normally encountered by the general population. What are the Potential Health Effects of Benzene? The level of exposure depends upon the dose, duration, and work being done Benzene can occur naturally in the environment when carbon-rich elements are burned but do not burn completely. There is little information on the effects of benzene on children. It is harmful to the eyes, skin, airway, nervous system, and lungs. As you saw in Section 16.4, a substituent on a benzene ring can be an activator or a deactivator. Benzene, also called phenyl hydride, is a volatile organic compound (VOC) that occurs naturally from volcanic eruptions and forest fires, but also is a man-made chemical used to make plastics, resins, dyes, detergents and petroleum-based fabric fibers. However, benzene can also have long lasting health effects stemming from long-term exposure (a year or more) such as : A reduction in the number of red blood cells, causing anemia. What are the health hazards? Summary of Health Effects of Benzene Exposure. Benzene is a clear, colorless liquid with a pleasant, sweet odor. 1. It decreases red blood cells and damages bone marrow. This review of the effects of inhaled volatile organic solvents (VOCs) focused on current literature on exposures to Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes, collectively “BTEX.” Primarily through research with animal models, evidence for the effects of single-BTEX component inhalation exposure demonstrates that each of these VOCs can negatively affect health and neurobehavioral … Inductive effects of alkyl groups activate the direction of the ortho or para substitution, which is when s electrons gets pushed toward the ring. benzene to which you are exposed and the length of time of the exposure. We examined hematologic changes in a popu-lation of Bulgarian petrochemical workers, in whi-ch a significant increase in benzene biomarkers of It is not a direct estimator of risk, but rather a reference point to gauge the potential for effects. The effects of benzene exposure on apoptosis in epithelial lung cells: localization by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) and the immunocytochemical localization of apoptosis-related gene products. Longer-term exposure to benzene may cause anemia, alterations to the immune system, and leukemia. Benzene (C6H6) - Benzene (C6H6) - Benzene is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H6. To learn more about the Kekule structure of benzene, properties, aromaticity and uses of benzene click here at BYJUS. II. In fact, benzene can cause serious health problems that you must understand if you work with it. Death can result. Objective. Effects on Human Health . benzene based on hematological effects in humans. Inhalation of xylene or xylene vapor is the most dangerous type of exposure to this chemical. May be drawn into the lungs if swallowed or vomited, causing severe lung damage. Long-term exposure of over a year or more to benzene is not safe. Objectives . At the same time, a substituent can also be a meta director or an ortho/para director. lity to benzene toxic effects (12, 16, 22). Specifically, benzene causes bone marrow suppression and, through its metabolites, disruptions in the cell cycle which can lead to mutagenesis. Benzene, as a volatile organic compound, is known as one of the main air pollutants in the environment. The alkylbenzenes, toluene being the most common example, represent a class of six-membered ring aromatic compounds that have a variety of alkyl groups attached. This study aimed to examine the action of benzene, quercetin, and their combination on porcine ovarian granulosa cell functions. just being curious. If large amounts of xylene are inhaled, much more serious effects are likely to occur. Effects of short-term exposures. Since methods for measuring your breath, blood, urine, or tissues for benzene are only reliable for a short time and after a very large benzene exposure, if your personal or occupational doctor is concerned that you may be at risk for health effects from benzene toxicity, blood testing to check your blood counts for any abnormalities is the recommended approach. Other health concerns include drowsiness, irregular heart rhythm, and loss of consciousness. Workers may be harmed from exposure to benzene. To study environmental exposure to benzene as well as hematological effects of benzene exposure in taxi drivers. Deactivating group (meta directors) The deactivating groups deactivate the ring by the inductive effect in the presence of an electronegative atom that withdraws electron density away from the ring. Benzene can be measured in the blood or breath, and breakdown products of benzene can be measured in the urine. Reproductive Effects: Teratogenic (developmental abnormalities in the fetus) effects of benzene have been observed in animals only at high exposure levels. Characterizing the partitioning behavior of formaldehyde, benzene and toluene on indoor fabrics: Effects of temperature and humidity. It can cause excessive bleeding, a significantly reduced and ineffective immune system and anemia. These tests can only detect recent exposures to benzene. We hypothesized that the environmental contaminant benzene and the plant antioxidant quercetin may affect ovarian cell functions and that quercetin could offer protection against the adverse effects of benzene. As with other solvents, large exposures cause CNS effects. At lifetime exposures increasingly greater than the Benzene was first isolated by M. Faraday (1825). The odor of benzene does not provide adequate warning of its hazard. Most information on effects of long-term exposure to benzene are from studies of workers employed in industries that make or use benzene. In the short term, benzene can irritate the respiratory tract as well as the eyes, skin, and mucus membranes. Long Term Effects of Benzene Exposure. Cecil Pearson December 16, 2016 - 9:53 am. Benzene is also found in cigarette smoke. Benzene affects many organ systems. Environmental fate In soil, benzene biodegrades under aerobic conditions only. The most common side effect of inhaled xylene is depression of the central nervous … Health Effects • Benzene is mildly irritating to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Because I was exposed to lots of contaminants while enlisted ( including many flights on/off Amchitca Island from 1965 to 1967) I am wondering. This puts people at risk for aplastic anemia and excessive bleeding. Adverse effects of the chemical substance depend on the level of exposure, and the duration one is exposed to the harmful chemical. Weaver CV(1), … Long-term (a year or more) exposure to benzene can produce changes in the blood. The acute effects of over-exposure to benzene are well known in general terms. Benzene can cause a wide variety of adverse side effects and complications if individuals are exposed to high concentrations of the chemical or are exposed to benzene for long periods of time. This effect is further exacerbated by chromosomal aberrations caused by benzene in lymphocytes. Since the sperm is a unique cell, easily available, can be cultured in vitro , and is sensitive to its microenvironment, it has therefore proved to be a good target cell for cytotoxic assays, in toxicological studies. The effects on your health depend on how much benzene you are exposed to and . There were no significant effects induced by 1 ppm benzene in this study.