Benzene is a colorless liquid that evaporates very quickly and has a sweet odor. It’s highly flammable and is widely used in the United States – it is formed from both natural processes and human activities. Benzene is used to make certain kinds of rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, pesticides and drugs. Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals which are then used to make nylon, plastics, resins, and synthetic fibers. 

How You Are Exposed

• Tobacco smoke, exhaust from motor vehicles and industrial emissions cause outdoor air to contain low levels of benzene.
• Indoor air tends to contain higher levels of benzene from products that emit it including glues, paints, furniture wax and detergents.
• Living or spending time in areas surrounding hazardous waste sites or gas stations may expose you to higher levels of benzene in the air.
• Well water can become contaminated with benzene due to leakages from underground storage tanks or from hazardous waste sites containing the chemical.

How Can Benzene Affect Your Health?

Benzene is absorbed via inhalation, ingestion, and skin application. Breathing extremely high levels of benzene can result in death, while high levels may cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, tremors, increased heart rate, and unconsciousness. Ingesting benzene through contaminated food or drink can result in vomiting, stomach irritation, drowsiness, dizziness, convulsions, increased heart rate and even death.

Long term exposure to benzene can result in harmful effects on the bone marrow leading to a decrease in red blood cells and anemia. It can also cause excessive bleeding and a weakening of the immune system, increasing the chance of infection. Some women have shown evidence of irregular menstrual periods and diminished ovary size following many months of being exposed to high levels of benzene in the air.

Benzene has also been determined to be a human carcinogen and long term exposure may increase the incidence of leukemia.