Benzene Health Effects

Long-term exposure to benzene has been associated with anemia, leukemia, and other conditions characterized by the depression of the immune system.

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) - known as acute childhood leukemia, ALL is a malignant cancer characterized by an accumulation of immature white blood cells in the vascular system. The malignant cells begin to replace bone marrow and normal blood cells cease to function. Symptoms of this disease include but are not limited to prolonged bleeding, bruising, skin rash, fatigue, bone pain, and weight loss.

Acute Myelogenous or Myeloid Leukemia (AML) - also known as acute granulocytic leukemia or acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, AML is cancer of the blood-forming tissues that results in an excess of immature white blood cells. It is much like ALL, but occurs more often in adults than children. It develops when there is a defect in the immature cells in the bone marrow-- malignant cells begin to replace bone marrow and normal blood cells cease to function. Symptoms of this disease include: prolonged bleeding, bruising, skin rash, fatigue, bone pain, and weight loss.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) - a condition characterized by an accumulation of abnormal lymphocytes in the blood and the bone marrow. These lymphocytes do not perform their functions as normal ones would and interfere with the production of other blood cells necessary for the normal functioning of the blood, leading to a host of complications like deficiency of the immune system, coagulation problems, swollen lymph nodes, and many other conditions.

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) - also known as chronic granulocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia is defined as a rapid growth of the blood forming cells in bone marrow, body tissues, and blood that causes bone marrow failure. Symptoms of this disease include fever, bone pain, enlarged spleen, and fatigue.

Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cell, an important part of the immune system that produces immunoglobulins (antibodies) to help fight infection and disease. Symptoms of this disease incluse renal failure, lower back or rib pain, fatigue, and recurrent infections.

Myelodysplasia (MDS) - sometimes known as Myelodysplastic Syndrome- refers to a group of disorders in which the bone marrow does not function normally and produces immature blood cells. MDS affects the production of any, and occasionally all, types of blood cells including red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. There are five types of MDS: refractory anemia, refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Disproportionately affects persons over age 50, and is often asymptomatic until quite advanced.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) - also known as lymphocytic lymphoma, histiocytic lymphoma, and lymphoblastic lymphoma. It is a malignancy of the lymphatic tissue (lymph nodes, spleen, etc.). Symptoms of this disease include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, weight loss, and excessive sweating. About two-thirds of adults diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma notice swollen, painless lymph nodes in the armpit, groin, near the collarbone, or in some area of the neck, including the back of the neck.

Secondary Aplastic Anemia - also known as acquired aplastic anemia, secondary anemia is defined as a failure of the bone marrow to form enough blood cells. It is characterized by a reduction in all types of blood cells. Symptoms of this disease include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate.

Benzene Exposure

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 synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke.

Benzene is a widely used chemical formed from both natural processes and human activities. It is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor, and 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. The chemical has been found in at least 813 of the 1,430 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Benzene exposure to occur in numerous ways:

(1) Outdoor air contains low levels of benzene from tobacco smoke, automobile service stations, exhaust from motor vehicles, and industrial emissions;
(2) Indoor air generally contains higher levels of benzene from products that contain it such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents;
(3) Air around hazardous waste sites or gas stations will contain higher levels of benzene;
(4) Leakage from underground storage tanks or from hazardous waste sites containing benzene can result in benzene contamination of well water;
(5) People working in industries that make or use benzene may be exposed to the highest levels of it; and
(6) A major source of benzene exposure is tobacco 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.

Testing for Exposure

Several tests can show if you have been recently exposed to benzene. There is test for measuring benzene in the breath; this test must be done shortly after exposure. Benzene can also be measured in the blood, however, since benzene disappears rapidly from the blood, measurements are accurate only for recent exposures.

In the body, benzene is converted to products called metabolites. Certain metabolites can be measured in the urine. However, this test must be done shortly after exposure and is not a reliable indicator of how much benzene you have been exposed to, since the metabolites may be present in urine from other sources.

Benzene is sold under the following trade names, among others: Benzol 90, Pyrobenzol, Polystream, Coal naphtha, Phene.