Immediate symptoms of exposure to benzene

People who breathe in high levels of benzene may develop the following symptoms within minutes to several hours after exposure:

• Drowsiness

• Dizziness

• Rapid or irregular heartbeat

• Headaches

• Tremors

• Confusion

• Unconsciousness

• Death (at very high levels)

Eating foods or drinking beverages containing high levels of benzene can cause the following
symptoms within minutes to several hours:

• Vomiting

• Irritation of the stomach

• Dizziness

• Sleepiness

• Convulsions

• Rapid or irregular heartbeat

• Death (at very high levels)

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. Direct exposure of the eyes, skin, or lungs to benzene can cause tissue injury and irritation. Showing these signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to benzene.

Long-term health effects of exposure to benzene

The major effect of long-term benzene exposure is on the blood. Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia. It can also cause excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance for infection. 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 is not known whether benzene exposure affects the developing fetus in pregnant women or fertility in men. Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation, and bone marrow damage when pregnant animals breathed benzene. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that benzene causes cancer in humans. Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, cancer of the blood-forming organs.