What is toluene?
Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid with a sweet odor. It is obtained from crude petroleum and is highly flammable. Toluene is used in a variety of industries and is a common solvent for products such as paints, thinners, and glues. It is found in small amounts in gasoline.
What immediate health effects can be caused by toluene exposure?
Breathing toluene vapors in small amounts may cause a mild headache, dizziness, drowsiness, or nausea. With more serious exposure, toluene may cause sleepiness, stumbling, irregular heartbeat, fainting, or even death. Toluene vapor is mildly irritating to the skin, eyes, and lungs. If liquid toluene contacts the skin, it may cause irritation and a rash. Liquid toluene splashed in the eyes can damage the eyes. Generally, the more serious the exposure, the more severe the symptoms.
Can toluene poisoning be treated?
There is no antidote for toluene, but its effects can be treated, and most exposed persons get well. Persons who have experienced serious symptoms may need to be hospitalized.
Are any future health effects likely to occur?
A single small exposure from which a person recovers quickly is not likely to cause delayed or longterm effects. After a serious exposure to toluene, some symptoms may take a few days to develop. Repeated sniffing of toluene can cause permanent damage to the brain, muscles, heart, and kidneys.
What tests can be done if a person has been exposed to toluene?
Specific tests for the presence of toluene in blood or urine generally are not useful to the doctor. Hippuric acid, a breakdown product of toluene, can be measured in urine if the toluene dose was high. If a severe exposure has occurred, blood and urine analyses and other tests may show whether the brain, heart, or kidneys have been injured. Testing is not needed in every case.
Where can more information about toluene be found?
More information about toluene can be obtained from your regional poison control center; the state, county, or local health department; the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diease Registry (ATSDR); your doctor; or a clinic in your area that specializes in occupational and environmental health. If the exposure happened at work, you may wish to discuss it with your employer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Visit our Regulatory Agencies page to find contact information for the aforementioned government agencies.
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