Xylene

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW Appearance: Clear, colorless liquid Warning! Flammable liquid and vapor. Causes eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation. Contains benzene. Benzene can cause cancer. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. Aspiration hazard if swallowed. Can enter lungs and cause damage. May be harmful if absorbed through skin or if inhaled. May cause central nervous system depression. Flash Point: 27.7°C. Target Organs: Central nervous system, Respiratory system, Eyes, Bone marrow, Skin

Potential health effects

Eye: Splashes of xylene in human eyes generally cause transient superficial injury. Skin: May be harmful if absorbed through the skin. Xylene contact causes defatting of the skin with irritation, dryness, and cracking. Blistering may occur, particularly if exposure to concentrated xylene is prolonged and the exposed area of skin is occluded. Ingestion:

Aspiration hazard

May cause irritation of the digestive tract. May cause central nervous system depression, characterized by excitement, followed by headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea. Advanced stages may cause collapse, unconsciousness, coma and possible death due to respiratory failure. Aspiration of material into the lungs may cause chemical pneumonitis, which may be fatal. Inhalation: Causes respiratory tract irritation. Irritation may lead to chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary edema. Odor thresholds ranging from 0.07 to 40 ppm have been reported for xylenes. Inhalation overexposure may lead to central nervous system depression, producing effects such as dizziness, headache, confusion, incoordination, nausea, weakness, and loss of consciousness. Extreme exposures may cause other CNS effects including death. Chronic: Chronic exposure to benzene has been associated with an increased incidence of leukemia and multiple myeloma (tumor composed of cells of the type normally found in the bone marrow). Immunodepressive effects have been reported. Chronic exposure to xylene may cause defatting dermatitis, reversible eye damage, dyspnea (labored breathing), confusion, dizziness, apprehension, memory loss, headache, tremors, weakness, anorexia, nausea, ringing in the ears, irritability, thirst, mild changes in liver function, kidney impairment, anemia, and hyperplasia, but not destruction, of the bone marrow. Chronic hydrocarbon abuse (for example, sniffing glue or light hydrocarbons such as contained in this material) has been associated with irregular heart rhythms and potential cardiac arrest.