| QUESTIONS | ANSWERS |
|---|---|
| What is this chemical? | Benzene is a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell. Benzene is a natural constituent of crude oil, and may be synthesized from other compounds present in petroleum. |
| What is its purpose? | It is an important industrial solvent and precursor in the production of drugs, plastics, synthetic rubber, and dyes. |
| Where is it found? |
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HEALTH CONCERNS Is this chemical a carcinogen? Yes. The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) classifies benzene as a human carcinogen. Benzene causes cancer in both animals and humans. Long-term exposure to excessive levels of benzene in the air causes leukemia, a potentially fatal cancer of the blood-forming organs, in susceptible individuals.Benzene has been shown to cause cancer in both sexes of multiple species of laboratory animals exposed via various routes. How can it affect me? Benzene exposure has serious health effects. Human exposure to benzene is a global health problem.Indoor air generally contains levels of benzene higher than those in outdoor air. The benzene in indoor air comes from products that contain benzene such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents. Many of these have been modified or reformulated since the late 1970s to eliminate or reduce the benzene content.Air around hazardous waste sites or gas stations may contain higher levels of benzene. Benzene has also been detected in sodas, or carbonated drinks.
Benzene targets liver, kidney, lung, heart and the brain and can cause DNA strand breaks, and chromosomal damage.
The short term breathing of high levels of benzene can result in death, while low 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, and death.
The major effects of benzene are chronic (long-term) exposure through the blood. Benzene damages the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia. It can also cause excessive bleeding and depress the immune system, increasing the chance of infection. Benzene causes leukemia and is associated with other blood cancers and pre-cancers of the blood.
Are there controversial issues? These controversies have not been proven but have had research papers and books theorizing their possibilities.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Thought to be correlated with people who eat “denatured” food that use solvents to remove fat or contain benzoic acid but causality is unproven.
- Cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer disease from benzene exposure in laundry soap
Another controversy is that benzene is added to laundry detergents in the form of linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid (LAS), which is the main cleaning agent in granular, tablet, and powdered detergents.
The benzene in LAS is absorbed into your clothes as you wash them, and from there, absorbed through the skin as you wear those laundered clothes.
The body’s macrophage cells release the benzene from the LAS molecules so it can roam within the body and cause cancer or other diseases.
It is suggested not to use powdered detergents with the ingredient LAS.
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