Benzene

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

Flammability Toxicity (3) Health Body Contact © Flammability Reactivity ©) Chronic 1 2 3 4 Fire Diamond Min Low Moderate High Extreme ANSI Signal Word Danger! Flammable youve Emergency Overview 0% Colorless liquid; sweet odor. Irritating to eyes/skin/respiratory tract. Toxic. Other Acute Effects: headache, dizziness, drowsiness. Absorbed through skin. Chronic Effects: dermatitis, leukemia, bone marrow damage. Carcinogen. Reproductive effects. Flammable.

Potential health effects

Target Organs: blood, central nervous system (CNS), bone marrow, eyes, upper respiratory system, skin

Principle Routes of Exposure

inhalation, skin contact Acute Effects Inhalation: The vapor is discomforting to the upper respiratory tract and lungs and may be harmful if inhaled. Copyright © 2006 by Genium Group, Inc. Any commercial use or reproduction without the publisher’s permission is prohibited. Judgments as to the suitability of information herein for the purchaser’ s purposes are necessarily the purchaser’s responsibility. Although reasonable care has been taken in the preparation of such information, Genium Group, Inc. extends no warranties, makes no representations, and assumes no responsibility as to the accuracy or suitability of such information for application to the purchaser’s intended purpose or for consequences of its use. If exposure to highly concentrated solvent atmosphere is prolonged this may lead to narcosis, unconsciousness, even coma and possible death. Acute effects from inhalation of high concentrations of vapor are pulmonary irritation, including coughing, with nausea; central nervous system depression - characterized by headache and dizziness, increased reaction time, fatigue and loss of coordination. Inhalation hazard is increased at higher temperatures. The symptoms of acute exposure to high vapor concentrations include confusion, dizziness, tightening of the leg muscles and pressure over the forehead followed by a period of excitement. If exposure continues the casualty quickly becomes stupefied and lapses into a coma with narcosis. Effects of inhalation may include nausea, vomiting headache, dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, sometimes preceded by brief periods of exhilaration, or euphoria, irritability, malaise, confusion, ataxia, staggering, weak and rapid pulse, chest pain and tightness with breathlessness, pallor, cyanosis of the lips and fingertips and tinnitus. Severe exposures may produce blurred vision, shallow, rapid breathing, delirium, cardiac arrhythmias, unconsciousness, deep anesthesia, paralysis and coma characterized by motor restlessness, tremors and hyperreflexia (occasionally preceded by convulsions). Polyneuritis and persistent nausea, anorexia, muscular weakness, headache, drowsiness, insomnia and agitation may also occur. Two-three weeks after the exposure, nervous irritability, breathlessness and unsteady gait may still persist; cardiac distress and an unusual dicoloration of the skin may be evident for up to four weeks. Hemotoxicity is not normally a feature of acute exposures although anemia, thrombocytopenia, petechial hemorrhage, and spontaneous internal bleeding have been reported. Fatal exposures may result from asphyxia, central nervous system depression, cardiac and respiratory failure and circulatory collapse; sudden ventricular fibrillation may also be fatal. Death may be sudden or may be delayed for 24 hours. Central nervous system, respiratory or hemorrhagic complications may occur up to five days after the exposure and may be lethal; pathological findings include respiratory inflammation with edema, and lung hemorrhage, renal congestion, cerebral edema and extensive petechial hemorrhage in the brain, pleurae, pericardium, urinary tract, mucous membrane and skin. Exposure to toxic levels has also produced chromosome damage. Eye: The liquid is highly discomforting to the eyes, may be harmful following absorption and is capable of causing a mild, temporary redness of the conjunctiva (similar to wind-burn), temporary impairment of vision and/or other transient eye damage/ulceration. The vapor is moderately discomforting to the eyes. The material may produce severe irritation to the eye causing pronounced inflammation. Repeated or prolonged exposure to irritants may produce conjunctivitis. Skin: The liquid may produce skin discomfort following prolonged contact. Defatting and/or drying of the skin may lead to dermatitis. Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material. Toxic effects may result from skin absorption. The material may cause skin irritation after prolonged or repeated exposure and may produce a contact dermatitis (nonallergic). This form of dermatitis is often characterized by skin redness (erythema) and swelling (edema) which may progress to vesiculation, scaling and thickening of the epidermis. Histologically there may be intercellular edema of the spongy layer (spongiosis) and intracellular edema of the epidermis. Ingestion: The liquid is discomforting to the gastrointestinal tract and may be harmful if swallowed. Ingestion may result in nausea, pain, vomiting. Vomit entering the lungs by aspiration may cause potentially lethal chemical pneumonitis. Carcinogenicity: NTP - Class 1, Known to be a carcinogen; IARC - Group 1, Carcinogenic to humans; OSHA - Listed as a carcinogen; NIOSH - Listed as carcinogen; ACGIH - Class A2, Suspected human carcinogen; EPA - Class A, Human carcinogen; MAK - Class Al, Capable of inducing malignant tumors as shown by experience with humans.

Potential chronic health

Liquid is an irritant and may cause burning and blistering of skin on prolonged exposure Chronic exposure may cause headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and lassitude with incipient blood effects including anemia and blood changes. Benzene is a myelotoxicant known to suppress bone-marrow cell proliferation and to induce hematologic disorders in humans and animals. Signs of benzene-induced aplastic anemia include suppression off leukocytes (leukopenia), red cells (anemia), platelets (thromocytopenia) or all three cell types (pancytopenia). Classic symptoms include weakness, purpura, and hemorrhage. The most significant toxic effect is insidious and often irreversible injury to the blood forming tissue. Leukemia may develop.