Ethanol for Gasoline Blending

Potential health effects

Eye: Eye irritant. Contact may cause stinging, watering, redness, and swelling. Skin: Skin irritant. Contact may cause redness, itching, burning, and skin damage. Prolonged or repeated contact can worsen irritation by causing drying and cracking of the skin, leading to dermatitis (inflammation). Not acutely toxic by skin absorption, but prolonged or repeated skin contact may be harmful (see Section 11). Inhalation (Breathing): Low to moderate degree of toxicity by inhalation. Ingestion (Swallowing): Low degree of toxicity by ingestion. ASPIRATION HAZARD - This material can enter lungs during swallowing or vomiting and cause lung inflammation and damage. Signs and Symptoms: Effects of overexposure may include irritation of the nose and throat, irritation of the digestive tract, nausea, vomiting, flushing, transient excitation followed by signs of nervous system depression (e.g., headache, drowsiness, dizziness, loss of coordination, disorientation and fatigue), blurred vision, drunkenness, stupor, tremors, respiratory failure, unconsciousness, convulsions and death. Cancer: Known cancer hazard (see Sections 11 and 15). Target Organs: Overexposure may cause injury to the central nervous system, stomach, liver, male reproductive system and heart (see Section 11). Developmental: Potential hazard to the fetus (see Section 11). Other Comments: Most adverse health effects associated with ethanol, a component of this material, are related to the chronic ingestion of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholism has been associated with liver, stomach, heart, and nervous system damage, cancer, adverse reproductive effects, and effects on the developing fetus. Many of these effects may be related to the profound metabolic changes that result from constantly high blood levels of alcohol. This exposure pattern is significantly different from that of persons handling industrial ethanol in the workplace or from refueling cars with gasoline containing ethanol. Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: Conditions aggravated by exposure may include skin disorders, respiratory (asthma-like) disorders and liver disorders.