Exposures

Alcohol

What it is: Alcohol has several forms, but the most commonly consumed form is ethyl alcohol in the form of beer, wine, and liquor. It is a naturally occurring by product of the chemical breakdown of sugars. This process is most commonly fermentation or distillation.

Where it is: We know alcohol is contained in beer, wine and liquor, but it is also an ingredient in perfumes, mouthwash, cleaning products and other household substances. It has been a generally accepted toxic substance throughout history.

How we're exposed: We drink it. Adult exposure is a matter of choice. For children, it is a different story. Most childhood consumption of alcohol is accidental. Drinks, mouthwash, and perfumes may be left within reach of children. Some adults give children and babies small amounts of alcohol to calm them down. This was actually a common practice decades ago before we discovered the detrimental effects alcohol can cause in the very young. Unborn babies are severely affected by the alcohol the mother’s blood as immediately as the mother is.

The harm it causes: We are well aware of the harm alcohol causes in adults: long term liver damage, brain damage and heart problems. Immediate results of drinking alcohol are depression of the central nervous system resulting in problems concentrating, the lessening of inhibitions, mood elevation/depression, and memory loss.

In babies born and unborn: Alcohol causes the most damage in unborn babies. Alcohol exposure to the fetus can cause devastating, lifelong damage. Drinking during pregnancy could result in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It is a pattern of facial abnormalities, growth retardation, and brain damage that only occurs in babies whose mothers drank during pregnancy. It is the leading known cause of preventable mental retardation. Even when fetal alcohol exposure does not result in the full-blown Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, it can result in Fetal Alcohol Effect, a less but very debilitating, lifelong condition resulting in lowered intelligence, hyperactivity and behavioral disorders. Alcohol is present in breast milk shortly after ingestion, and there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Pregnant women, and women likely to become pregnant, should abstain from alcohol altogether.

In children: It takes much less for alcohol poisoning to occur which can easily lead to death. Immediate effects of alcohol on children mirror those in adults but can happen with much smaller quantities. A child’s enzyme system, which helps convert alcohol in the body, is not fully developed. A child goes through stages of intoxication and poisoning when he or she has consumed alcohol. The child may become giddy and talkative, but this soon fades into sleepiness. The breathing and heart rate are disturbed. Eventually, the systems may slow down to the point of convulsions and death.

In Adults: Prolonged exposure in adults results in liver deterioration and disease, heart problems, some cancers, and pancreatitis. Alcoholism is a disease that causes many deaths, health and social problems.

Benzene

What it is: Benzene is a colorless, extremely flammable, sweet smelling liquid that evaporates vary quickly into the air. It is a solvent, which basically means it is primarily used to dissolve other chemicals in order to make new ones. It is formed by human activities in the manufacturing of chemicals like rubbers, plastics, nylons and synthetic fibers. It is added to gasoline. It occurs naturally as the result of volcanoes and forest fires.

Where it is: Benzene is found in the air as a result of industrial processes and reacts with other chemicals in the air. It can get into the water and soil by attaching to moisture in the air and falling to the ground. The majority of the time, Benzene hangs in the air around service stations, car and bus exhausts, industrial smokestacks, and cigarettes. Inside, it is found in some glues, paints, cleaners and furniture waxes.
How we’re exposed: We encounter benzene by inhaling it from the air, and less frequently, by eating or drinking benzene contaminated items. Cigarette smoke contains a lot of benzene. Inhaled at high levels, such as the kind one may have if he or she works in the chemical industry, is the most dangerous of all. The average person, however, has to worry about low level, long-term exposure.

The damage it does: Immediate effects of breathing high levels of benzene are lethal. Other effects include dizziness, sleepiness, rapid heart beat, headache, nausea, vomiting and unconsciousness. Eating it has similar effects and may cause convulsions as well.

In Adults: Long-term exposures can cause anemia, internal bleeding, leukemia and cancer. Some evidence suggests that benzene may cause female reproductive problems.

In Children: The effects are the same as for adults, but to a greater degree in children. They may be exposed by second hand smoke in the home over time, which may increase the likelihood of them developing exposure related problems later in life.

In babies born and unborn: Fetuses and infants are at increased risk of benzene toxicity because their cells are rapidly dividing. In test animals, benzene inhalation during pregnancy has caused fetal death at high doses