Benzene is a ubiquitous compound which is present in the natural world. In its liquid form, it is colorless and is identified by its sweet scent. It can in part dissolve in water, and evaporates rapidly when exposed to air. Benzene is a known carcinogen produced naturally from forest fires and volcanoes. It is also found in gasoline fumes, cigarette smoke and crude oil.
In the 19th century, benzene became popular as a major industrial solvent that is widely-used in the manufacturing processes of products like paint, glue, adhesive, synthetic rubber, plastic, household cleaning supplies, and gasoline. Even after being declared as toxic, the chemical remains in the top 20 of most used substance for production volume in the US. Benzene is used to make other industrial chemicals that will be ingredient to products like plastic, rubber, resin, nylon, and synthetic fiber. Small amounts of it are found in lubricants, dyes, detergents, pesticides, and even drugs.
How Benzene Affects the Environment
Although benzene is produced naturally, the main source of supply used by manufacturers is from petrochemical and coal industry. Benzene in the air can be brought back into the soil through rain and snow.
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.
Exposure to Benzene
Benzene is used items we use every day. It is also used in making gasoline, which is in turn used to give power to machines that need fuel, such as lawn mowers and cars. It is also used in adhesives, glues, paint, synthetic rubber, household cleaning supplies; Benzene is the one responsible for the strong and foul fumes everyday items emit.
Benzene’s Affect on Health
Products with Benzene give off fumes into the air, where people get exposed to the substance. Some examples are pain, glue and gasoline fumes, and cigarette smoke. Short-term symptoms of the exposure include skin irritation, drowsiness and dizziness.
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.
