The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that benzene causes cancer in humans.Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation, and bone marrow damage when pregnant animals breathed benzene.It is not known whether benzene exposure affects the developing fetus in pregnant women or fertility in men. Some women who breathed high levels of benzene for many months had irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries.It can also cause excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance for infection. (Long-term exposure means exposure of a year or more.) Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia. The major effect of benzene from long-term exposure is on the blood.Long-term health effects of exposure to benzene Showing these signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to benzene.Direct exposure of the eyes, skin, or lungs to benzene can cause tissue injury and irritation.If a person vomits because of swallowing foods or beverages containing benzene, the vomit could be sucked into the lungs and cause breathing problems and coughing.Eating foods or drinking beverages containing high levels of benzene can cause the following symptoms within minutes to several hours:.People who breathe in high levels of benzene may develop the following signs and symptoms within minutes to several hours:.Immediate signs and symptoms of exposure to benzene The seriousness of poisoning caused by benzene depends on the amount, route, and length of time of exposure, as well as the age and preexisting medical condition of the exposed person.Also, it can damage the immune system by changing blood levels of antibodies and causing the loss of white blood cells. For example, it can cause bone marrow not to produce enough red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Benzene works by causing cells not to work correctly.A major source of benzene exposure is tobacco smoke.People working in industries that make or use benzene may be exposed to the highest levels of it.Benzene leaks from underground storage tanks or from hazardous waste sites containing benzene can contaminate well water.The air around hazardous waste sites or gas stations can contain higher levels of benzene than in other areas.The benzene in indoor air comes from products that contain benzene such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents. Indoor air generally contains levels of benzene higher than those in outdoor air.Outdoor air contains low levels of benzene from tobacco smoke, gas stations, motor vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions. ![]() Benzene is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.
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