How does gasoline exposure affect a person's health?

Limited contact with gasoline is usually harmless. However, gasoline and its vapors are toxic, and extended exposure to them can seriously damage a person's health.

Gasoline is a human-made substance that people use primarily to fuel vehicles and other machines that use an engine.

Exposure to gasoline or gasoline vapors in large amounts or over an extended period can cause serious health complications. Ingesting even a small quantity of gasoline can be fatal.

If someone in the United States suspects gasoline exposure or poisoning, they should immediately call Poison Control on 1-800-222-1222, and an expert will provide care instructions. If symptoms are severe, they should also call 911 or visit the nearest hospital.

In this article, we look at how gasoline can affect a person's health, including the symptoms and causes of gasoline poisoning.

Why is gasoline bad for people's health?

Gasoline is a toxic and extremely flammable liquid. At room temperature, gasoline is usually colorless or pale brown or pink.

Gasoline contains approximately 150 differentchemicals, but it primarily comprises compounds called hydrocarbons, which include alkenes, benzene, toluene, and xylenes.

When even small quantities of hydrocarbons enter the bloodstream, this can reduce the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) and cause organ damage.

Gasoline is not just toxic when people ingest it. It can also cause damage to the skin, eyes, and lungs when a person comes into contact with gasoline liquid or the fumes or vapors of gasoline.

Burning gasoline releases several harmful chemicals, one of which is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly when people inhale it in high concentrations or for a prolonged time.

For this reason, running a car or use gas-fuelled machines or tools in an enclosed area is never safe.

Symptoms of gasoline poisoning

Gasoline exposure can reduce the functioning of the CNS and damage organs. The symptoms of gasoline poisoning depend on a few factors, such as:

·         whether a person has touched, swallowed, or inhaled gasoline

·         how much gasoline they had exposure to

·         the length of exposure

·         their age, body weight, and sex

·         whether they also had exposure to other chemicals

Symptoms of gasoline inhalation

Inhaling gasoline vapors can irritate the sensitive lung tissues, and a number of the chemicals can enter the bloodstream.

Once in the bloodstream, some of these chemicals can make it difficult for the body to move oxygen around the body tissues, causing healthy tissue to die.

Symptoms that commonly occur following gasoline vapor exposure include:

·         dizziness or lightheadedness

·         a headache

·         flushing of the face

·         coughing or wheezing

·         staggering

·         slurred speech

·         blurred vision

·         weakness

·         difficulty breathing

·         convulsions

·         coma

·         heart arrhythmia

·         heart failure

Symptoms of skin exposure to gasoline

Getting a small amount of gasoline on the skin for a short period is usually harmless. The skin does not readily absorb the chemicals in gasoline. However, if gasoline remains on the skin or clothing for a few hours, it can enter the skin.

Symptoms of skin and eye exposure to gasoline include:

·         mild skin irritation

·         skin inflammation

·         cracking, blistering, or peeling skin

·         pus-like discharge

·         first- and second-degree burns

·         temporary loss of vision, pain, and discharge if it enters the eye

Symptoms of gasoline ingestion

The gastrointestinal tract does not absorb gasoline as easily as the lungs do, but ingesting gasoline can be fatal.

In adults, 20–50 grams (g) of gasoline, which is fewer than 2 ounces (oz), can cause severe intoxication, and around 350 g (12 oz) can kill a person who weighs 70 kilograms. In children, ingesting 10–15 g (up to half an ounce) of gasoline can be fatal.

Symptoms of ingesting gasoline include:

·         vomiting

·         heartburn

·         drowsiness

·         vertigo

·         slurred speech

·         flushing of the face

·         staggering

·         weakness

·         blurred vision

·         confusion

·         convulsions

·         loss of consciousness

·         lung and internal organ hemorrhaging

·         heart failure

When someone swallows gasoline, they may also experience lung damage if the gasoline in their stomach travels to the lung while they are vomiting.

Source: Medical News Today