What is Benzene?
Benzene is colorless, has sweet odor, and in liquid form. It does not dissolve completely in water but evaporates very quickly into the air. Highly flammable and very toxic, benzene is produced naturally from forest fires and volcanoes. It is a known cancer-forming carcinogen found in cigarette smoke, crude oil, and gasoline fumes.
Benzene is used in the process of manufacturing many commonly used items such as paint, glue, adhesive, synthetic rubber, plastic, household cleaning supplies, and gasoline. Although,about sixty years ago, it was determined to be harmful to human bodies, it is still used widely in manufacturing industries.
Benzene’s Affect on the Environment
The use of Benzene may not be thought of much as it isnt used in its natural form. However, it is important to know which products are used with Benzene in the manufacturing process.
Benzene, in gas form, reacts with chemicals in the air. It appears to break down after a few days. In water or soil, it doesn’t dissolve completely so can may leach into the water table. There is no evidence, from studies, showing that benzene residue builds up in animals and plants.
How People are Exposed to Benzene
Benzene is used in making paints, pesticides, plastics, synthetic rubber, household cleaners, glues and adhesives. It is also used in making gasoline, which is used to make machines that need fuel run. Benzene is the substance responsible for the strong fumes that come from household chemicals and gasoline. Low-level exposure to Benzene will not pose serious health risks. In addition, the EPA and FDA make sure that the Benzene food items and drinks stay in a harmless level.
How Can Benzene Affect Your Health?
Inhaling large amount of benzene can result to dizziness, headache, loss of consciousness, and rapid heart rate. Imbibing foods that contain the chemical beyond maximum permissible level can cause vomiting, skin irritation, drowsiness, convulsions, breathing disorder, and even death.
After exposure to Benzene, it gets absorbed into a persons bloodstream, where it can wreak havoc and result to diseases of the blood like leukemia and AML (acute myelogenous leukemia). AML is commonly found in adults who are more than 60 years old, and some of the symptoms include excessive bleeding, fever, joint pain, weight loss and tiredness.