Ethylbenzene: Health effects
Description
Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. High concentration can cause you to become dizzy, light headed, or to pass out. Very high levels can cause paralysis, trouble breathing and death. Prolonged exposure can cause drying, scaling and even blistering. High exposure may damage the liver. Chronic (long term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to ethylbenzene and can last for months or years. Ethylbenzene in high levels is broken down more slowly in your body than low levels of ethylbenzene. Similarly, ethylbenzene mixed with other solvents is also broken down more slowly than ethylbenzene alone.
Entering the body
When you breathe air containing ethylbenzene vapour, it enters your body rapidly and almost completely through your lungs. Ethylbenzene in food or water can also rapidly and almost completely enter your body through the digestive tract. It may enter through your skin when you come into contact with liquids containing ethylbenzene. Ethylbenzene vapours do not enter through your skin to any large degree. People living in urban areas or in areas near hazardous waste sites may be exposed by breathing air or by drinking water contaminated with ethylbenzene.
Exposure
In the work place exposure to ethylbenzene occurs in factories that use ethylbenzene to produce other chemicals as well as gas, petroleum and coal tar processes. Other occupational exposure may be associated with varnish workers, spray painters, and persons involved in gluing operations. Exposure to ethylbenzene occurs from the use of certain consumer products, gasoline, pesticides, solvents, carpet glues, varnishes, paints, and tobacco smoke.
Health guidelines
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (NHMRC and ARMCANZ, 1996):
Health: Maximum of 0.3mb/L (ie 0.0003g/L)
Aesthetic: Maximum of 0.003mb/L (ie 0.000003g/L)
Worksafe Australia:
TWA: 100 ppm 434 mg/m3
STEL: 125 ppm 543 mg/m3
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