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Section B: Health Effects of
Acute and Chronic Benzene Exposure
Benzene
C o n ce n tra tio n
(p p m )
25
5 0 -1 5 0
D u ra tio n
of
E xp o su re
8
5
500
1
1 ,5 0 0
1
1 ,5 0 0 -3 ,0 0 0
S e ve ra l
h o u rs
6
1 ,5 5 0 -3 ,1 0 0
1 ,5 7 0 - 3 1 3 0
S e ve ra l
h o u rs
E ffe cts
O b se rve d
R e fe re n ce
None
H e a d a ch e ,
la ssitu d e ,
w e a rin e ss
S ym p to m s o f
illn e ss
S e rio u s
sym p to m s
S lig h t
sym p to m s
N o se rio u s
e ffe cts
S lig h t
sym p to m s
G e ra rd e , 1 9 6 3
G e ra rd e , 1 9 6 3
G e ra rd e , 1 9 6 3
G e ra rd e , 1 9 6 3
B lo o m fie ld ,
1951
H a m ilto n ,
1934
B ro w n in g ,
1937
Various reported adverse effects in humans after short-term
exposure to various concentrations of benzene vapor
(Paustenbach et al., 1993)
Benzene
Duration
Concentration
of
(ppm)
Exposure
3,000
0.5
3,000
0.5-1
3,000-4,700
1
3,130-4,700
0.5-1
4,650
0.5
4,700
0.5
Effects Observed
Reference
Endurable
Gerarde, 1963
Dangerous
Browning, 1937
Maximum
Bloomfield, 1951
concentrations
Von, Oettingen, 1940
that can be inhaled
1 hour without
serious disturbance
Maximum
Browning, 1937
concentration for
this period of time
Listlessness and
Hamilton, 1931
confusion
Confusion
Greenburg, 1926
Adverse effects to benzene exposure
Benzene
Duration
Concentration
of
(ppm)
Exposure
6,190-9,300
Few
hours
6,200-9,300
0.5-1
7,500
0.5-1
6,200-9,300
19,00020,000
Effects
Observed
Reference
Definite
symptoms of
poisoning
Immediate or
subsequent
death
Dangerous to
life
Greenburg, 1926
Few
Loss of
hours
consciousness
Short
Rapidly fatal
Exposure
Hamilton, 1934
Bloomfield, 1951;
Gerarde, 1963
Von Oettingen,1940
Hamilton, 1931
Gerarde, 1963;
Browning, 1937;
Goldwater and
Tewksbury, 1941;
Von Oettingen,1940
Adverse effects to benzene exposure
Chronic Health Effects of
Benzene Exposure
Pancytopenia
Aplastic Anemia
Myelodysplasia
Leukemia
(?) ppm
Odor threshold
1 ppm
Bone Marrow Diseases
Š Pancytopenia : diagnosed by examining the
peripheral blood; significant decreases in
circulating blood cell populations due to effects in
the bone marrow
Š Aplastic anemia: absence of cells in bone
marrow; bone marrow replaced by fat
Š Myelodysplasia: Pre-leukemia state; there is a
spectrum of myelodysplastic syndromes
Š Leukemia : blood cell differentiation arrested at
an immature state; immature cells continue to
proliferate( divide)
Relationship of benzene exposure to various
hematological disorders
A. Causality Proven
1. Pancytopenia: Aplastic Anemia
2. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and Variants
(Including Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia, Acute
Promyelocytic Leukemia, Erythroleukemia)
B. Causality Suspected
1. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
2. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
3. Hodgkin’s Disease
4. Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria
C. Association Suggested But Unproven
1. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
2. Myelofibrosis and Myeloid Metaplasia
3. Lymphoma: Lymphocytic, Histiocytic
4. Thrombocythemia