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Benzene:

Benzene is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. It evaporates into the air very quickly and dissolves slightly in water. It is highly flammable and is formed from both natural processes and human activities.

Benzene is widely used in the United States; it ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production volume. Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals which are used to make plastics, resins, and nylon and other synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene include emissions from volcanoes and forest fires. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke.

Breathing very high levels of benzene can result in death, while high levels can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremors, confusion, and unconsciousness. Eating or drinking foods containing high levels of benzene can cause vomiting, irritation of the stomach, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions, rapid heart rate, and death.

The major effect of benzene from long-term exposure is on the blood. Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells leading to anemia. It can also cause excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance for infection.

Some women who breathed high levels of benzene for many months had irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries, but we do not know for certain that benzene caused the effects. It is not known whether benzene will affect fertility in men.

How likely is benzene to cause cancer?

Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, particularly acute myelogenous leukemia, often referred to as AML. This is a cancer of the bloodforming organs. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that benzene is a known carcinogen.

Acute myeloid Leukemia or AML causes the bone marrow to produce a high number of immature white blood cells, known as blast cells. The bone marrow is responsible for the production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. However, a defective bone marrow (caused by prolonged exposure to benzene) often produces a high number of immature white cells and can therefore not produce enough healthy red and white cells or platelets.

AML can result in tiredness, a very pale complexion, and shortness of breath. A lack of platelets can also result in excessive bleeding, a tendency to bruise easily, and a delay in healing. Not everyone that has contracted AML cancer will display all of these symptoms. In fact, some sufferers of Acute myelogenous leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia may not display any symptoms at all. It is often through blood tests that AML is detected, and this is done by the examination of bone marrow tissue and blood samples.

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Environmental and Toxic Exposures