chemicals emitted from houston valero refinery- a report by the tar sands blockade

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Below is a comprehensive list of chemicals, according to the EPA and TCEQ emitted by the Houston Valero refinery. Each emitted chemical is accompanied by information about its effects on humans, its physical description, exposure routes, as well as other pertinent information. This information also includes graphs showing the amount of chemical emissions from 2002 to 2011. The Highlighted chemicals are of particular toxicity as they are known carcinogens and causes of birth defects. List of chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 1,3-Butadiene Ammonia Antimony Compounds Benzene Carbon Disulfide Carbonyl Sulfide Cobalt Compounds Cresol (Mixed Isomers) Cumene Cyanide Compounds Cyclohexane Ethylbenzene Ethylene Hydrogen Cyanide Lead Manganese Mercury Compounds Methanol Molybdenum Trioxide N-Hexane Naphthalene Nickel Compounds Nitrate Compounds Phenol Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds Propylene Styrene Sulfuric Acid (1994 and after “Acid Aerosols” only) Tert-Butyl Alcohol Toluene Vanadium Compounds Xylene (Mixed Isomers) Known carcinogens: 1,3 Butadiene (pg. 2) Benzene (pg.5) Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds Possible carcinogens: 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene Ethylbenzene N-Hexane Naphthalene Nickel Compounds Styrene Molybdenum Trioxide Nitrate Compounds Propylene Houston Valero Re.inery Emission Chemical List/Info Return to Index 1

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A comprehensive list of chemicals, according to the EPA and TCEQ emitted by theHouston Valero refinery. Each emitted chemical is accompanied by information about its effects onhumans, its physical description, exposure routes, as well as other pertinent information. This informationalso includes graphs showing the amount of chemical emissions from 2002 to 2011. The Highlightedchemicals are of particular toxicity as they are known carcinogens and causes of birth defects.

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Page 1: Chemicals Emitted from Houston Valero Refinery- A Report by the Tar Sands Blockade

Below is a comprehensive list of chemicals, according to the EPA and TCEQ emitted by the Houston Valero refinery. Each emitted chemical is accompanied by information about its effects on humans, its physical description, exposure routes, as well as other pertinent information. This information also includes graphs showing the amount of chemical emissions from 2002 to 2011. The Highlighted chemicals are of particular toxicity as they are known carcinogens and causes of birth defects.

List of chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene1,3-ButadieneAmmoniaAntimony Compounds BenzeneCarbon DisulfideCarbonyl SulfideCobalt CompoundsCresol (Mixed Isomers)CumeneCyanide CompoundsCyclohexaneEthylbenzeneEthyleneHydrogen CyanideLeadManganeseMercury CompoundsMethanolMolybdenum TrioxideN-HexaneNaphthaleneNickel CompoundsNitrate CompoundsPhenolPolycyclic Aromatic CompoundsPropyleneStyreneSulfuric Acid (1994 and after “Acid Aerosols” only)Tert-Butyl AlcoholToluene Vanadium CompoundsXylene (Mixed Isomers)

Known carcinogens:● 1,3 Butadiene (pg. 2)● Benzene (pg.5)● Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds

Possible carcinogens:● 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene● Ethylbenzene● N-Hexane● Naphthalene● Nickel Compounds● Styrene● Molybdenum Trioxide● Nitrate Compounds● Propylene

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1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0638.html

● Exposure Limit:■ NIOSH REL: TWA 25 ppm (125 mg/m3)

● Physical Description: Clear, colorless liquid with a distinctive, aromatic odor. ● Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ● Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose, throat, respiratory system; bronchitis; hypochromic

anemia; headache, drowsiness, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion), dizziness, nausea, incoordination; vomiting, confusion; chemical pneumonitis (aspiration liquid)

● Target Organs:Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, blood ● "Chemical Summary for 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene" (text). United States Environmental Protection

Agency. 1994-08-01. Retrieved 2008-01-28.● 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene is used as a gasoline additive.

● http://rais.ornl.gov/tox/provisional/tmbcrfd.shtml● it is possible that 1,2,4-TMB could be carcinogenic● The human carcinogenicity potential of 1,2,4-TMB and 1,3,5-TMB cannot be determined

on the basis of the available information. Both human and animal data are judged inadequate for an evaluation. However, the Maltoni study provides suggestive evidence of potential carcinogenicity, but there is not definitive evidence.

● http://www.epa.gov/chemfact/s_trimet.txt● No information was found in the secondary sources searched regarding the

carcinogenicity of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene in humans.● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,2,4-trimethylbenzene

● 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene is a colorless liquid.● It is a flammable aromatic hydrocarbon with a strong odor.● It occurs naturally in coal tar and petroleum (about 3%).● It is “Harmful and dangerous for the environment” according to one of the main European

Union laws concerning chemical safety, the Dangerous Substances Directive.● EU Classificatoin: Harmful and dangerous for the environment.

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1,3-Butadiene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0067.html● Exposure Limit:

■ OSHA PEL: [1910.1051] TWA 1 ppm ST 5 ppm ● Physical Description: Colorless gas with a mild aromatic or gasoline-like odor. [Note: A

liquid below 24°F. Shipped as a liquefied compressed gas.] ● Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin and/or eye contact (liquid) ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, nose, throat; drowsiness, dizziness; liquid: frostbite;

teratogenic, reproductive effects; [potential occupational carcinogen] ○ Target Organs:Eyes, respiratory system, central nervous system, reproductive system ○ Cancer Site: [hemato cancer]○ Flammable Gas

● http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=81; Health Effects www.osha.gov/SLTC/butadiene/index.html

● 1,3 Butadiene is listed as a known carcinogen by the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry and the US EPA.

● http://www.npi.gov.au/substances/index.html#health● Long-term exposure has been associated with cardiovascular disease, there is a

consistent association with leukemia, and weaker association with other cancers.● Acute exposure results in irritation of the mucous membranes.● Higher levels can result in neurological effects such as blurred vision, fatigue, headache

and vertigo.● Exposure to the skin can lead to frostbite.

● http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/pollution/27.aspx● Prolonged and excessive exposure can affect many areas in the human body; blood,

brain, eye, heart, kidney, lung, nose and throat have all been shown to react to the presence of excessive 1,3-Butadiene.

● http://ukpmc.ac.uk/backend/ptpmcrender.cgi?accid=PMC1567758&blobtype=pdf ; http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s025buta.pdf ; http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/16/2/157

● 1,3-Butadiene is also a suspected human teratogen (a cause of birth defects).● http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/butadien.html

● Animal data suggest that women have a higher sensitivity to possible carcinogenic effects of butadiene over men when exposed to the chemical. This may be due to estrogen receptor impacts. While these data reveal important implications to the risks of human exposure to butadiene, more data are necessary to draw conclusive risk assessments. There is also a lack of human data for the effects of butadiene on reproductive and development shown to occur in mice, but animal studies have shown breathing butadiene during pregnancy can increase the number of birth defects, and humans have the same hormone systems as animals.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,3-Butadiene● It is flamable● It is a colorless gas or refrigerated liquid.

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Ammonia

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0028.html● Exposure Limit:

■ NIOSH REL: TWA 25 ppm (18 mg/m3) ST 35 ppm (27 mg/m3)■ OSHA PEL : TWA 50 ppm (35 mg/m3)

● Physical Description: Colorless gas with a pungent, suffocating odor. [Note: Shipped as a liquefied compressed gas. Easily liquefied under pressure.]

● Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion (solution), skin and/or eye contact (solution/liquid) ● Symptoms: irritation eyes, nose, throat; dyspnea (breathing difficulty), wheezing, chest

pain; pulmonary edema; pink frothy sputum; skin burns, vesiculation; liquid: frostbite ● Target Organs:Eyes, skin, respiratory system ● Although NH3 does not meet the DOT definition of a Flammable Gas (for labeling

purposes), it should be treated as one.]● "PubChem Substance Summary". Retrieved 7 July 2009.

○ It is toxic in high concentrations.● "Toxic FAQ Sheet for Ammonia". Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

September 2004.○ The U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a 15-minute

exposure limit for gaseous ammonia of 35 ppm by volume in the environmental air and an 8-hour exposure limit of 25 ppm by volume.

○ Exposure to very high concentrations of gaseous ammonia can result in lung damage and death.

● Hazardous Materials (HM) Safety Permits from the website of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT)

○ It is a material that is toxic by inhalation and requires a hazardous safety permit when transported in quantities greater than 13,248 L (3,500 gallons).

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia○ Colourless gas with strong pungent odour○ It is a flammable gas○ Although in wide use, ammonia is both caustic and hazardous.○ EU Classificatoin: Toxic, Corrosive, Dangerous for the environment○ Ammonia even at dilute concentrations is highly toxic to aquatic animals, and for this

reason it is classified as dangerous for the environment.

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Antimony Compounds

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0036.html○ Exposure Limit:

■ NIOSH REL* : TWA 0.5 mg/m3 [*Note: The REL also applies to other antimony compounds (as Sb.]

■ OSHA PEL *: TWA 0.5 mg/m3 [*Note: The PEL also applies to other antimony compounds (as Sb.]

○ Physical Description: Silver-white, lustrous, hard, brittle solid; scale-like crystals; or a dark-gray, lustrous powder.

○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose, throat, mouth; cough; dizziness; headache;

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; stomach cramps; insomnia; anorexia; unable to smell properly

○ Target Organs:Eyes, skin, respiratory system, cardiovascular system ○ Noncombustible Solid in bulk form, but a moderate explosion hazard in the form of dust

when exposed to flame.○ Sundar, S.; Chakravarty, J. (2010). "Antimony Toxicity". International Journal of Environmental

Research and Public Health 7 (12): 4267–4277. doi:10.3390/ijerph7124267. PMC 3037053. PMID 21318007

● Inhalation of antimony dust is harmful and in certain cases may be fatal; in small doses, antimony causes headaches, dizziness, and depression. Larger doses such as prolonged skin contact may cause dermatitis, or damage the kidneys and the liver, causing violent and frequent vomiting, leading to death in a few days.

● Antimony MSDS. Baker● Antimony should be kept away from heat.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimony#Precautions● A lustrous gray metalloid; it’s naturally a solid metal.

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Benzene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0049.html○ Exposure Limit:

■ NIOSH REL : Ca TWA 0.1 ppm ST 1 ppm See Appendix A■ OSHA PEL : [1910.1028] TWA 1 ppm ST 5 ppm See Appendix F

○ Physical Description: Colorless to light-yellow liquid with an aromatic odor. [Note: A solid below 42°F.]

○ Flammability: Class IB Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose, respiratory system; dizziness; headache, nausea,

staggered gait; anorexia, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); dermatitis; bone marrow depression; [potential occupational carcinogen]

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, blood, central nervous system, bone marrow

○ Cancer Site: leukemia● Huff J (2007). "Benzene-induced cancers: abridged history and occupational health impact". Int J

Occup Environ Health 13 (2): 213–21. PMID 17718179 ; Rana SV; Verma Y (2005). "Biochemical toxicity of benzene". J Environ Biol 26 (2): 157–68. PMID 16161967

● Benzene targets liver, kidney, lung, heart and the brain and can cause DNA strand breaks, chromosomal damage, etc. Benzene causes cancer in both animals and humans. Benzene has been shown to cause cancer in both sexes of multiple species of laboratory animals exposed via various routes

● Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 16th ed., p. 618. ; Merck Manual, Home Edition, "Overview of Leukemia".

● Substantial quantities of epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data link benzene to aplastic anemia, acute leukemia, and bone marrow abnormalities.

● Smith, Martyn T. (2010). "Advances in understanding benzene health effects and susceptibility". Ann Rev Pub Health 31: 133–48. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.012809.103646.

○ The specific hematologic malignancies that benzene is associated with include: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), aplastic anemia, myleodysplastic syndrome (MDS), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

○ American Petroleum Institute, API Toxicological Review, Benzene, September 1948, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Department of Health and Human Services

● The American Petroleum Institute (API) stated in 1948 that “it is generally considered that the only absolutely safe concentration for benzene is zero.”

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Benzene (con’t)

● WHO. INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER, IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity: An Updating of IARC Monographs, Volumes 1 to 42, Supplement 7

○ Long-term exposure to excessive levels of benzene in the air causes leukemia, a potentially fatal cancer of the blood-forming organs, in susceptible individuals. In particular, Acute myeloid leukemia or acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (AML & ANLL) is not disputed to be caused by benzene.

○ Breathe carefully: air emissions of benzene may cause birth defects. — Environmental Health News. Environmentalhealthnews.org (2010-10-26). Retrieved on 2011-04-17.

● Benzene exposure has been linked directly to the neural birth defects spina bifida and anencephaly.

● Benzene exposure linked to sperm abnormalities that cause birth defects. — Environmental Health News. Environmentalhealthnews.org (2010-02-16). Retrieved on 2011-04-17.

● Men exposed to high levels of benzene are more likely to have an abnormal amount of chromosomes in their sperm, which impacts fertility and fetal development.

● Occupational Safety and Health Standards, Toxic and Hazardous Substances, 1910.1028. Osha.gov. Retrieved on 2011-11-23.

● OSHA regulates levels of benzene in the workplace.● Public Health Statement for Benzene, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

(August 2007). Benzene: Patient information sheet. Atsdr.cdc.gov (2011-03-03). Retrieved on 2011-11-23.

The maximum allowable amount of benzene in workroom air during an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek is 1 ppm. Because benzene can cause cancer, NIOSH recommends that all workers wear special breathing equipment when they are likely to be exposed to benzene at levels exceeding the recommended (8-hour) exposure limit of 0.1 ppm.

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Benzene (con’t)

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzene● The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) classifies benzene as a

human carcinogen. IARC rated benzene as “known to be carcinogenic to humans”● Air around hazardous waste sites or gas stations may contain higher levels of benzene.● Most non-industrial applications have been limited by benzene's carcinogenicity.● Benzene increases the risk of cancer and other illnesses.● Benzene is a notorious cause of bone marrow failure.● Some women who inhaled high levels of benzene for many months had irregular

menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries.● ingestion and dermal absorption of benzene can also occur through contact with

contaminated water.● Benzene is a natural constituent of crude oil, and is one of the most basic

petrochemicals.● Benzene is a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell.● it is an important component of gasoline, composing a few percent of its mass.● The measurement of benzene in humans can be accomplished via urine, blood, and

breath tests; however, all of these have their limitations because benzene is rapidly metabolized in the human body into by-products called metabolites.

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Carbon Disulfide

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0104.html● Exposure Limit:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 1ppm (3 mg/m3) ST 10 ppm (30 mg/m3) [skin]■ OSHA PEL : TWA 20 ppm C 30 ppm 100 ppm (30-minute maximum peak)

● Physical Description: Colorless to faint-yellow liquid with a sweet ether-like odor. [Note: Reagent grades are foul smelling.]

● Flammability: Class IB Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F.● Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ● Symptoms: dizziness, headache, poor sleep, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion), anxiety,

anorexia, weight loss; psychosis; polyneuropathy; Parkinson-like syndrome; ocular changes; coronary heart disease; gastritis; kidney, liver injury; eye, skin burns; dermatitis; reproductive effects

● Target Organs:central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, cardiovascular system, eyes, kidneys, liver, skin, reproductive system

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_disulfide● Carbon disulfide is a colorless volatile liquid● It has an "ether-like" odor● Appearance: colorless liquid; impure: light-yellow● Odor: chloroform (pure); foul (commercial)● EU Classificatoin: Extremely Flammable, Toxic, and an Irritant● At high levels, carbon disulfide may be life-threatening because it affects the nervous

system

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Carbonyl Sulfide

● "Chemical Summary for Carbonyl Sulfide". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.○ As of 1994, there was limited information on the acute toxicity of carbonyl sulfide in

humans and in animals.● Occasional fatalities have been reported, practically without local irritation or olfactory

warning.● In tests with rats, 50% animals died when exposed to 1400 ppm of COS for 90 minutes,

or at 3000 ppm for 9 minutes.● Limited studies with laboratory animal studies also suggest that continued inhalation of

low concentrations (approximately 50 ppm for up to 12 weeks) does not affect the lungs or the heart.

● "Chemical Summary for Carbonyl Sulfide". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ; "Carbonyl Sulfide CASRN: 463-58-1". Hazardous Substances Data Bank. National Library of Medicine.

● High concentrations (>1000 ppm) can cause sudden collapse, convulsions, and death from respiratory paralysis.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonyl_sulfide● it is a colourless flammable gas with an unpleasant odor.

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Cobalt Compounds

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0146.html ○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 0.05 mg/m3■ OSHA PEL : TWA 0.1 mg/m3

○ Physical Description: Odorless, silver-gray to black solid.○ Flammability: Noncombustible Solid in bulk form, but finely divided dust will burn at high

temperatures.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact○ Symptoms: Cough, dyspnea (breathing difficulty), wheezing, decreased pulmonary

function; weight loss; dermatitis; diffuse nodular fibrosis; resp hypersensitivity, asthma ○ Target Organs: Skin, respiratory system

● Donaldson, John D. and Beyersmann, Detmar "Cobalt and Cobalt Compounds" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2005, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. doi:10.1002/14356007.a07_281.pub2

○ Cobalt is an essential element for life in minute amounts. The LD50 value for soluble cobalt salts has been estimated to be between 150 and 500 mg/kg. Thus, for a 100 kg person the LD50 would be about 20 grams.

● Basketter, David A.; Angelini, Gianni; Ingber, Arieh; Kern, Petra S.; Menné, Torkil (2003). "Nickel, chromium and cobalt in consumer products: revisiting safe levels in the new millennium". Contact Dermatitis 49 (1): 1–7. doi:10.1111/j.0105-1873.2003.00149.x. PMID 14641113.

○ After nickel and chromium, cobalt is a major cause of contact dermatitis (a recurring skin rash).

● Barceloux, Donald G. and Barceloux, Donald (1999). "Cobalt". Clinical Toxicology 37 (2): 201–216. doi:10.1081/CLT-100102420.

○ n 1966, the addition of cobalt compounds to stabilize beer foam in Canada led to cardiomyopathy which came to be known as beer drinker's cardiomyopathy.

● Kasper, Denis L. et al. (2005). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 16th edn. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-139140-1.

○ Cardiomyopathy is a heart disease causing breathlessness, swelling of the legs, irregular heart beat and sudden cardiac death.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt● It is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal.

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Cresol (Mixed Isomers)

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0155.html■ NIOSH REL : TWA 2.3 ppm (10 mg/m3)■ OSHA PEL : TWA 5ppm (22 mg/m3) [skin]

○ Physical Description: Colorless to yellowish liquid with a sweet, tarry odor. [Note: A solid below 54°F.]

○ Flammability: Class IIIA Combustible Liquid: Fl.P. at or above 140°F and below 200°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms:irritation eyes, skin, mucous membrane; central nervous system effects:

confusion, depression, resp failure; dyspnea (breathing difficulty), irreg rapid resp, weak pulse; eye, skin burns; dermatitis; lung, liver, kidney, pancreas damage

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, liver, kidneys, pancreas, cardiovascular system

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cresol#Health_effects● Most exposures to cresols are at very low levels that are not harmful. When cresols are

breathed, ingested, or applied to the skin at very high levels, they can be very harmful. Effects observed in people include irritation and burning of skin, eyes, mouth, and throat; abdominal pain and vomiting; heart damage; anemia; liver and kidney damage; facial paralysis; coma; and death.

● Breathing high levels of cresols for a short time results in irritation of the nose and throat. Aside from these effects, very little is known about the effects of breathing cresols, for example, at lower levels over longer times.

● Ingesting high levels results in kidney problems, mouth and throat burns, abdominal pain, vomiting, and effects on the blood and nervous system.

● Skin contact with high levels of cresols can burn the skin and damage the kidneys, liver, blood, brain, and lungs.

● Short-term and long-term studies with animals have shown similar effects from exposure to cresols. No human or animal studies have shown harmful effects from cresols on reproduction.

● It is not known what the effects are from long-term ingestion or skin contact with low levels of cresols.

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Cumene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0159.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 50 ppm (245 mg/m3) [skin]■ OSHA PEL : TWA 50 ppm (245 mg/m3) [skin]

○ Physical Description: Colorless liquid with a sharp, penetrating, aromatic odor. ○ Flammability: Class IC Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. at or above 73°F and below 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, mucous membrane; dermatitis; headache, narcosis,

coma○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumene● It is a constituent of crude oil and refined fuels.● It is a flammable colorless liquid that has a boiling point of 152 °C.

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Cyanide Compounds

● http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_230400.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for General Industry:29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 5 mg/m3 TWA; Skin

■ OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry:29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 5 mg/m3 TWA; Skin

■ OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime:29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 5 mg/m3 TWA

■ American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 4.7 ppm, 5 mg/m3 Ceiling; Skin (TLV listed under Hydrogen Cyanide) -- 5 mg/m3 Ceiling; Skin (TLV listed under Cyanide Salts)

■ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 4.7 ppm, 5 mg/m3 STEL; Skin (REL listed under Hydrogen Cyanide) -- 4.7 ppm, 5 mg/m3 Ceiling (10 Minutes) (REL listed under Other Cyanides (as CN) except Hydrogen Cyanide)

○ Health Effects: Irritation-Eyes, Skin, Nose, Throat---Marked (HE14); Acute Toxicity (HE4).○ Potential symptoms: Asphyxia and death can occur, preceded by seizures, coma with

abolished deep reflexes and dilated pupils, weakness; paralysis; dizziness; numbness; anxiety; chest tightness; irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath; confusion; headache; sore throat; nausea, vomiting; eye irritation; rash, chemical burns on skin; enlargement of thyroid gland.

○ Affected organs: cardiovascular system, respiratory system, thyroid, eyes, skin, blood○ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carcinogenic classification: Group D, not

classifiable as to human carcinogenicity○ NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 25 mg/m3 (as

CN)○ Note: Neurological sequelae in survivors of acute cyanide poisoning include

parkinsonism and dystonia.● "Environmental and Health Effects of Cyanide". International Cyanide Management Institute.

2006. Retrieved 4 August 2009.○ Most cyanides are highly toxic.

● Biller, José (2007). Interface of neurology and internal medicine (illustrated ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 939. ISBN 0-7817-7906-5., Chapter 163, page 939

○ Tissues that depend highly on aerobic respiration, such as the central nervous system and the heart, are particularly affected. This is an example of histotoxic hypoxia.

○ Oral ingestion of a small quantity of solid cyanide or a cyanide solution as little as 200 mg, or to airborne cyanide of 270 ppm is sufficient to cause death within minutes.

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Cyanide Compounds (con’t)

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide● The most hazardous compound is hydrogen cyanide, which is a gas at ambient

temperatures and pressure and can therefore be inhaled.● Minimum risk levels (MRLs) may not protect for delayed health effects or health effects

acquired following repeated sublethal exposure, such as hypersensitivity, asthma, or bronchitis.

● hydrogen cyanide released from pellets of Zyklon-B was used extensively in the systematic mass murders of the Holocaust, especially in extermination camps. Poisoning by hydrogen cyanide gas within a gas chamber (as a salt of hydrocyanic acid is dropped into a strong acid, usually sulfuric acid) is one method of executing a condemned prisoner as the condemned prisoner eventually breathes the lethal fumes.

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Cyclohexane

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0163.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 300 ppm (1050 mg/m3)■ OSHA PEL : TWA 300 ppm (1050 mg/m3)

○ Physical Description: Colorless liquid with a sweet, chloroform-like odor. [Note: A solid below 44°F.]

○ Flammability: Class IB Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, respiratory system; drowsiness; dermatitis; narcosis,

coma ○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclohexane● EU Classificatoin: Flammable, harmful, dangerous for the environment, a severe eye

irritant, and may cause corneal clouding● On an industrial scale, cyclohexane is produced by reacting benzene with hydrogen.● Cyclohexane has a distinctive detergent-like odor, reminiscent of cleaning product (in

which it is sometimes used).

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Ethylbenzene

● Vincent A.Welch, Kevin J. Fallon, Heinz-Peter Gelbke “Ethylbenzene” Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2005. doi:10.1002/14356007.a10_035.pub2

○ The acute toxicity of ethylbenzene is low, with an LD50 of about 4 grams per kilogram of body weight. The longer term toxicity and carcinogenicity is ambiguous.

● http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp110-c8.pdf○ (international) IARC 2006 Carcinogenicity classification: possibly carcinogenic to

humans○ (national) ACGIH 2006 Carcinogenicity classification: confirmed animal

carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans○ EPA 2007 Carcinogenicity classification: not classifiable as to human

carcinogenicity● http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20723573

○ Ethylbenzene has been evaluated for carcinogenic activity in Fischer rats and B6C3F1 mice exposed by inhalation (Chan et al., 1998; Chan, 1999) and in Sprague-Dawley rats after oral exposure (Maltoni et al., 1985,1997).

○ Overall in these three studies animals exposed to ethylbenzene had increased tumors in rats for kidneys, testes, head (including rare neuroesthesioepitheliomas), and total malignant tumors, whilst in mice tumor incidences were increased in the lung and liver (Huff, 2002). Thus ethylbenzene was carcinogenic by two exposure routes to both sexes of two species of rodents, two strains of rats, and one strain of mice, causing collectively tumors in five different target organs and a composite of "total malignant" tumors.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylbenzene○ This aromatic hydrocarbon is important in the petrochemical industry as an

intermediate in the production of styrene, which in turn is used for making polystyrene, a common plastic material.

○ clear, colorless liquid○ flammable

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Ethylene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0272.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : See Appendix D■ OSHA PEL : none

○ Physical Description: Clear, colorless, syrupy, odorless liquid. [antifreeze] [Note: A solid below 9°F.]

○ Flammability: Class IIIB Combustible Liquid: Fl.P. at or above 200°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose, throat; nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, lassitude

(weakness, exhaustion); dizziness, stupor, convulsions, central nervous system depression; skin sensitization

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system ● H. S. Booth and M. B. Campbell (1926), Studies of Anesthetic Ethylene: I. The Odor of Ethylene.

Anesthesia and Analgesia, July–August 1929, pages 221-226.○ It is a colorless, flammable gas with a faint "sweet and musky" odor when pure.

● Wang K, Li H, Ecker J (2002). "Ethylene Biosynthesis and Signaling Networks". Plant Cell 14 (Suppl): S131–51. PMC 151252. PMID 12045274.

○ Ethylene is also an important natural plant hormone, used in agriculture to force the ripening of fruits.

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Hydrogen Cyanide

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0333.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : ST 4.7 ppm (5mg/m3) [skin]■ OSHA PEL : TWA 10 ppm (11mg/m3) [skin]

○ Physical Description: Colorless or pale-blue liquid or gas (above 78°F) with a bitter, almond-like odor. [Note: Often used as a 96% solution in water.]

○ Flammability: Class IA Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP below 100°F. Flammable Gas

○ Exposure Route: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: asphyxia; lassitude (weakness, exhaustion), headache, confusion; nausea,

vomiting; increased rate and depth of respiration or respiration slow and gasping; thyroid, blood changes

○ Target Organs: central nervous system, cardiovascular system, thyroid, blood ● "Cyanide, inability to smell". Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. Retrieved 2010-03-31.

○ has a faint, bitter, almond-like odor that some people are unable to detect owing to a genetic trait.

● Environmental and Health Effects. Cyanidecode.org. Retrieved on 2012-06-02.● A hydrogen cyanide concentration of 300 mg/m3 in air will kill a human within about 10

minutes. A hydrogen cyanide concentration of 3500 ppm (about 3200 mg/m3) will kill a human in about 1 minute.

● Poison Hand Darted Harpoons and Lances.● Under the name prussic acid, HCN has been used as a killing agent in whaling harpoons.

● "Hydrogen Cyanide". Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Retrieved 2009-01-14.

● Hydrogen cyanide is commonly listed amongst chemical warfare agents known as blood agents.

● "Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLHs) – 74908". NIOSH.

○ Hydrogen cyanide gas in air is explosive at concentrations over 5.6%. This is far above its toxicity level.

○ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_cyanide ● It is an extremely poisonous liquid that boils just above room temperature (26°C/79°F).● EU Classification: Flammable, very toxic, and dangerous for the environment● The volatile compound has been used as inhalation rodenticide and human poison.● Cyanide ions interfere with iron-containing respiratory enzymes.● Very pale, blue, transparent liquid● Hydrogen cyanide absorbed into a carrier for use as a pesticide was employed by Nazi

Germany in the mid-20th century in extermination camps. The same product is currently made in the Czech Republic under the trademark "Uragan D2."

● Hydrogen cyanide is also the agent used in gas chambers employed in judicial execution in some U.S. states, where it is produced during the execution by the action of sulfuric acid on an egg-sized mass of potassium cyanide.

● As a substance listed under Schedule 3 of the Chemical Weapons Convention as a potential weapon which has large-scale industrial uses, manufacturing plants in signatory countries which produce more than 30 tonnes per year must be declared to, and can be inspected by, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

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Lead

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0368.htm○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA (8-hour) 0.050 mg/m3 See Appendix C [*Note: The REL also applies to other lead compounds (as Pb) -- see Appendix C.]

■ OSHA PEL : [1910.1025] TWA 0.050 mg/m3 See Appendix C [*Note: The PEL also applies to other lead compounds (as Pb) -- see Appendix C.]

○ Physical Description: A heavy, ductile, soft, gray solid. ○ Flammability: Noncombustible Solid in bulk form.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: lassitude (weakness, exhaustion), insomnia; facial pallor; anorexia, weight

loss, malnutrition; constipation, abdominal pain, colic; anemia; gingival lead line; tremor; paralysis wrist, ankles; encephalopathy; kidney disease; irritation eyes; hypertension

○ Target Organs: Eyes, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, kidneys, blood, gingival tissue

● http://www.epa.gov/airquality/lead/health.html● The main target for lead toxicity is the nervous system, both in adults and children. Long-

term exposure of adults can result in decreased performance in some tests that measure functions of the nervous system.

● Golub, Mari S., ed. (2005). "Summary". Metals, fertility, and reproductive toxicity. Boca Raton, Fla.: Taylor and Francis. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-415-70040-5.

● Chronic, high-level exposure have shown to reduce fertility in males.● "ToxFAQs: CABS/Chemical Agent Briefing Sheet: Lead". Agency for Toxic Substances and

Disease Registry/Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine. 2006. Archived from the original on 2010-03-04.

● Lead poisoning typically results from ingestion of food or water contaminated with lead; but may also occur after accidental ingestion of contaminated soil, dust, or lead-based paint.

● Bergeson, Lynn L. (2008). "The proposed lead NAAQS: Is consideration of cost in the clean air act's future?". Environmental Quality Management 18: 79. doi:10.1002/tqem.20197.

● It is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and is believed to have adverse effects on the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, kidneys, and the immune system.

● Hu, Howard (1991). "Knowledge of diagnosis and reproductive history among survivors of childhood plumbism". American Journal of Public Health 81 (8): 1070–1072. doi:10.2105/AJPH.81.8.1070. PMC 1405695. PMID 1854006.

● lead exposure has been linked to learning disabilities in children.● Schoeters, Greet; Den Hond, Elly; Dhooge, Willem; Van Larebeke, Nik; Leijs, Marike (2008).

"Endocrine Disruptors and Abnormalities of Pubertal Development". Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology 102 (2): 168–175. doi:10.1111/j.1742-7843.2007.00180.x. PMID 18226071.

● High blood levels are associated with delayed puberty in girls.● Needleman, Herbert L.; Schell, Alan; Bellinger, David; Leviton, Alan; Allred, Elizabeth N. (1990).

"The long-term effects of exposure to low doses of lead in childhood. An 11-year follow-up report". New England Journal of Medicine 322 (2): 83–88. doi:10.1056/NEJM199001113220203. PMID 2294437.

● Lead has been shown many times to permanently reduce the cognitive capacity of children at extremely low levels of exposure.

● NIOSH Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance". United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 2007-10-04.

Most cases of adult elevated blood lead levels are workplace-related.

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● "Case Studies in Environmental Medicine Lead (Pb) Toxicity: How are People Exposed to Lead?". Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06.

● Almost all inhaled lead is absorbed into the body, the rate is 20–70% for ingested lead; children absorb more than adults.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_cyanide● Lead, at certain contact degrees, is a poisonous substance to animals, including humans.

It damages the nervous system and causes brain disorders.● Excessive lead also causes blood disorders in mammals. Like the element mercury,

another heavy metal, lead is a neurotoxin that accumulates both in soft tissues and the bones.

● Lead poisoning has been documented from ancient Rome, ancient Greece, and ancient China.

● Lead is a highly poisonous metal (regardless if inhaled or swallowed), affecting almost every organ and system in the body.

● Long-term exposure to lead can cause nephropathy, and colic-like abdominal pains.● It may cause weakness in fingers, wrists, or ankles.● Lead exposure causes small increases in blood pressure, particularly in middle-aged and

older people and can cause anemia.● Exposure to high lead levels can severely damage the brain and kidneys in adults or

children and ultimately cause death.● In pregnant women, high levels of exposure to lead may cause miscarriage.● Lead also damages nervous connections (especially in young children) and cause blood

and brain disorders.

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Manganese

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0379.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : *TWA 1 mg/m3 ST 3 mg/m3 [*Note: Also see specific listings for Manganese cyclopentadienyl tricarbonyl, Methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, and Manganese tetroxide.]

■ OSHA PEL *: C 5 mg/m3 [*Note: Also see specific listings for Manganese cyclopentadienyl tricarbonyl and Methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl.]

○ Physical Description: A lustrous, brittle, silvery solid. ○ Flammability: Metal: Combustible Solid○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion ○ Symptoms: Manganism; asthenia, insomnia, mental confusion; metal fume fever: dry

throat, cough, chest tightness, dyspnea (breathing difficulty), rales, flu-like fever; low-back pain; vomiting; malaise (vague feeling of discomfort); lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); kidney damage

○ Target Organs: respiratory system, central nervous system, blood, kidneys ● "Manganese Chemical Background". Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting

University of Rhode Island. 2006-04. Retrieved 2008-04-30.○ exposure to manganese dusts and fumes should not exceed the ceiling value of 5 mg/

m3even for short periods because of its toxicity level.● "Risk Assessment Information System Toxicity Summary for Manganese". Oak Ridge National

Laboratory. Retrieved 2008-04-23.○ Manganese poisoning has been linked to impaired motor skills and cognitive disorders.

● Elsner, Robert J. F.; Spangler, JG; Spangler, John G. (2005). "Neurotoxicity of inhaled manganese: Public health danger in the shower?". Medical Hypotheses 65 (3): 607–616. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2005.01.043. PMID 15913899.

○ In 2005, a study suggested a possible link between manganese inhalation and central nervous system toxicity in rats.

● [a] Elsner, Robert J. F.; Spangler, JG; Spangler, John G. (2005). "Neurotoxicity of inhaled manganese: Public health danger in the shower?". Medical Hypotheses 65 (3): 607–616. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2005.01.043. PMID 15913899.[b] Bouchard, Maryse F.; Sébastien Sauvé, Benoit Barbeau, Melissa Legrand, Marie-Ève Brodeur, Thérèse Bouffard, Elyse Limoges, David C. Bellinger and Donna Mergler (20 September 2010). "Intellectual Impairment in School-Age Children". Environmental Health Perspectives 119 (1): 138–143. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002321. PMC 3018493. PMID 20855239. Retrieved 11 December 2010.[c] Finley, John Weldon; Davis, Cindy D. (1999). "Manganese deficiency and toxicity: Are high or low dietary amounts of manganese cause for concern?". BioFactors 10: 15. doi:10.1002/biof.5520100102.[d] Barceloux, Donald; Barceloux, Donald (1999). "Manganese". Clinical Toxicology 37 (2): 293. doi:10.1081/CLT-100102427.

○ According to results from a 2010 study,[b] higher levels of exposure to manganese in drinking water are associated with increased intellectual impairment and reduced intelligence quotients in school-age children. It is hypothesized that long-term exposure to the naturally occurring manganese in shower water puts up to 8.7 million Americans at risk.[a][c][d]

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Manganese (con’t)

● [a] Baselt, R. Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man, 8th edition, Biomedical Publications, Foster City, CA, 2008, pp. 883–886 ISBN 0-9626523-7-7.[b] Normandin, Louise; Hazell, AS (2002). "Manganese neurotoxicity: an update of pathophysiologic mechanisms". Metabolic Brain Disease 17 (4): 375–87. doi:10.1023/A:1021970120965. PMID 12602514.[c] Couper, John (1837). "On the effects of black oxide of manganese when inhaled into the lungs.". Br. Ann. Med. Pharm. Vital. Stat. Gen. Sci. 1: 41–42.[d] Cersosimo, M.G.; Koller, W.C. (2007). "The diagnosis of manganese-induced parkinsonism.". NeuroToxicology 27: 340–346.[e] Lu, C.S.; Huang, C.C, Chu, N.S., Calne, D.B. (1994). "Levodopa failure in chronic manganism.". Neurology 44: 1600–1602.

○ Manganese overexposure is most frequently associated with manganism, a rare neurological disorder associated with excessive manganese ingestion or inhalation. Historically, persons employed in the production or processing of manganese alloys[a][b] have been at risk for developing manganism. Manganism, is a biphasic disorder. In its early stages, an intoxicated person may experience depression, mood swings, compulsive behaviors, and psychosis. Early neurological symptoms give way to late-stage manganism, which resembles Parkinson's disease. Symptoms include weakness, monotone and slowed speech, an expressionless face, tremor, forward-leaning gait, inability to walk backwards without falling, rigidity, and general problems with dexterity, gait and balance.[c][d] Unlike Parkinson's disease, manganism is not associated with loss of smell and patients are typically unresponsive to treatment withL-DOPA.[e] Symptoms of late-stage manganism become more severe over time even if the source of exposure is removed and brain manganese levels return to normal.[d]

● Bouchard, Maryse F.; Sébastien Sauvé, Benoit Barbeau, Melissa Legrand, Marie-Ève Brodeur, Thérèse Bouffard, Elyse Limoges, David C. Bellinger and Donna Mergler (20 September 2010). "Intellectual Impairment in School-Age Children". Environmental Health Perspectives 119 (1): 138–143. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002321. PMC 3018493. PMID 20855239. Retrieved 11 December 2010.

○ studies have shown that Mn in well water can cause childhood development disorders including lower performance on tests of manual dexterity, rapidity, short-term memory, visual identification, and IQ, as well as increased hyperactive and oppositional behaviours.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MANGANESE● The element is a required trace mineral for all known living organisms.● In larger amounts, and apparently with far greater activity by inhalation, manganese can

cause a poisoning syndrome in mammals, with neurological damage which is sometimes irreversible.

● The need to use lead or manganese compounds is merely historic, as the availability of reformation processes which create high-octane rating fuels increased.

● Chronic low-dose manganese intoxication is strongly implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It may also play a role in the development of multiple sclerosis, restless leg syndrome, and Huntington's disease.

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Mercury Compounds

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0383.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : Hg Vapor: TWA 0.05 mg/m3 [skin] ; Other: C 0.1 mg/m3 [skin]■ OSHA PEL : TWA 0.1 mg/m3

○ Physical Description: Metal: Silver-white, heavy, odorless liquid. [Note: "Other" Hg compounds include all inorganic & aryl Hg compounds except (organo) alkyls.]

○ Flammability: Metal: Noncombustible Liquid○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin; cough, chest pain, dyspnea (breathing difficulty),

bronchitis, pneumonitis; tremor, insomnia, irritability, indecision, headache, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); stomatitis, salivation; gastrointestinal disturbance, anorexia, weight loss; proteinuria

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, kidneys ● "State of New Jersey et al., Petitioners vs. Environmental Protection Agency (Case No.

05-1097)". United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Argued December 6, 2007, Decided February 8, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2008.

○ The Clean Air Mercury Rule was struck down by a Federal Appeals Court on February 8, 2008. The rule was deemed not sufficient to protect the health of persons living near coal-fired power plants. The court opinion cited the negative impact on human health from coal-fired power plants' mercury emissions documented in the EPA Study Report to Congress of 1998.

● "Minamata Disease The History and Measures". Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan. Retrieved 2009-07-07.

○ A serious industrial disaster was the dumping of mercury compounds into Minamata Bay, Japan. It is estimated that over 3,000 people suffered various deformities, severe mercury poisoning symptoms or death from what became known as Minamata disease.

● Ngim, CH; Foo, SC; Boey, K.W.; Keyaratnam, J (1992). "Chronic neurobehavioral effects of elemental mercury in dentists". British Journal of Industrial Medicine 49 (11): 782–90. PMC 1039326. PMID 1463679.Liang, YX; Sun, RK; Sun, Y; Chen, ZQ; Li, LH (1993). "Psychological effects of low exposure to mercury vapor: Application of computer-administered neurobehavioral evaluation system". Environmental Research 60 (2): 320–7. Bibcode 1993ER.....60..320L. doi:10.1006/enrs.1993.1040. PMID 8472661.

○ Case control studies have shown effects such as tremors, impaired cognitive skills, and sleep disturbance in workers with chronic exposure to mercury vapor even at low concentrations in the range 0.7–42 µg/m3.

● McFarland, RB and Reigel, H (1978). "Chronic Mercury Poisoning from a Single Brief Exposure". J. Occup. Med. 20 (8): 532. doi:10.1097/00043764-197808000-00003.

A study has shown that acute exposure (4 – 8 hours) to calculated elemental mercury levels of 1.1 to 44 mg/m3 resulted in chest pain, dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, impairment of pulmonary function, and evidence of interstitial pneumonitis.

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● Environmental Health Criteria 1: Mercury. Geneva: World Health Organization. 1976. ISBN 92-4-154061-3.published under the joint sponsorship of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organisation, and the World Health Organization ; first draft prep. by L. Friberg (1991). Inorganic mercury. Environmental Health Criteria 118. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN 92-4-157118-7.

○ Acute exposure to mercury vapor has been shown to result in profound central nervous system effects, including psychotic reactions characterized by delirium, hallucinations, and suicidal tendency. Occupational exposure has resulted in broad-ranging functional disturbance, including erethism, irritability, excitability, excessive shyness, and insomnia. With continuing exposure, a fine tremor develops and may escalate to violent muscular spasms. Tremor initially involves the hands and later spreads to the eyelids, lips, and tongue. Long-term, low-level exposure has been associated with more subtle symptoms of erethism, including fatigue, irritability, loss of memory, vivid dreams and depression.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_compounds○ is highly toxic by ingestion or inhalation of the dust. Mercury poisoning can also result

from inhalation of mercury vapor, or eating seafood contaminated with mercury.○ Mercury and most of its compounds are extremely toxic○ Mercury can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes and mercury vapors

can be inhaled○ Mercury can cause both chronic and acute poisoning.○ The United States Clean Air Act, passed in 1990, put mercury on a list of toxic pollutants

that need to be controlled to the greatest possible extent.○ The World Health Organization, OSHA, and NIOSH all treat mercury as an occupational

hazard, and have established specific occupational exposure limits.○ Environmental releases and disposal of mercury are regulated in the U.S. primarily by the

United States Environmental Protection Agency.○ Research on the treatment of mercury poisoning is limited.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_compounds#Regulations○ The EPA (US) and the EU regulate mercury; Norway, Sweden, and Denmark have all

banned mercury.

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Methanol

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0397.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 200 ppm (260mg/m3) ST 250 ppm (325 mg/m3) [skin]■ OSHA PEL : TWA 200 ppm (260 mg/m3)

○ Physical Description: Colorless liquid with a characteristic pungent odor. ○ Flammability: Class IB Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, upper respiratory system; headache, drowsiness,

dizziness, nausea, vomiting; visual disturbance, optic nerve damage (blindness); dermatitis

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract

● National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (August 22, 2008). "The Emergency Response Safety and Health Database: Methanol". Retrieved March 17, 2009.

○ Methanol is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than ethanol (drinking alcohol).

● [a]Vale A (2007). "Methanol". Medicine 35 (12): 633–4. doi:10.1016/j.mpmed.2007.09.014.[b]^ "Methanol Poisoning Overview". Antizol. Retrieved 4/10/11.

○ Methanol has a high toxicity in humans. If as little as 10 mL of pure methanol are ingested, for example, it can break down into formic acid, which can cause permanent blindness by destruction of the optic nerve, and 30 mL is potentially fatal [a], although the median lethal dose is typically 100 mL (4 fl oz) (i.e. 1–2 mL/kg of pure methanol [b]. Toxic effects take hours to start, and effective antidotes can often prevent permanent damage [a]. Because of its similarities in both appearance and odor to ethanol (the alcohol in beverages), it is difficult to differentiate between the two

● Schep LJ, Slaughter RJ, Vale JA, Beasley DM (Sep 30 2009). "A seaman with blindness and confusion". BMJ 339: b3929. doi:10.1136/bmj.b3929. PMID 19793790.

Methanol is toxic by two mechanisms. First, methanol (whether it enters the body by ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through the skin) can be fatal due to its CNS depressant properties in the same manner as ethanol poisoning. Second, in a process of toxication, it is metabolized to formic acid (which is present as the formate ion) via formaldehyde in a process initiated by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver.

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● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol○ Methanol is flammable and toxic/highly toxic○ also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits○ It is also used for producing biodieselvia transesterification reaction.○ is ubiquitous in small amounts in the environment○ Methanol ingested in large quantities is metabolized to formic acid or formate salts, which

is poisonous to the central nervous system, and may cause blindness, coma, and death.○ Methanol is converted to formaldehyde via alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and

formaldehyde is converted to formic acid (formate) via aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).○ Physical examination may show tachypnea, and opthalmologic examination may show

dilated pupils withhyperemia of the optic disc and retinal edema.○ Small amounts of methanol are produced by the metabolism of food and are generally

harmless, being metabolized quickly and completely.

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Molybdenum Trioxide

****THIS CHEMICAL NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED FURTHER! IT’S A CARCINOGEN AND I CAN’T EVEN FIND IT ON THE cdc WEBSITE! FIND OUT MORE :)****

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum_trioxide○ odorless, yellow or light blue solid○ EU Classificatoin: carcinogenic, harmful and an irritant”

● http://www.imoa.info/HSE/environmental_data/experimental/molybdenum_and_cancer.php○ olybdenum trioxide has been reported to be weakly carcinogenic in mice in a short-term

(30 week) lung adenoma assay at high doses (4 750 mg/kg total) but not at lower doses [Stoner et al., 1976].

● http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/LT_rpts/tr462.pdf○ Molybdenum trioxide is used primarily as an additive to steel and corrosion-resistant

alloys○ It is harmful to aquatic life in very low concentrations

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N-Hexane

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0322.html○ Exposure Limits

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 50 ppm (180 mg/m3) ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 500 ppm (1800 mg/m3)

○ Physical Description: Colorless liquid with a gasoline-like odor. ○ Flammability: Class IB Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, nose; nausea, headache; peripheral neuropathy: numb

extremities, muscle weak; dermatitis; dizziness; chemical pneumonitis (aspiration liquid)○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, peripheral

nervous system ● Anuradee Witthayapanyanon and Linh Do. "Nanostructured Microemulsions as Alternative

Solvents to VOCs in Cleaning Technologies and Vegetable Oil Extraction". National Center For Environmental Research. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2007.

○ In 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued regulations on the control of emissions of hexane gas due to its potential carcinogenic properties and environmental concerns.

● Dirty Secrets ABC News Broadcast: 26/10/2010○ Chronic intoxication from hexane has been observed in recreational solvent abusers and

in workers in the shoe manufacturing, furniture restoration and automobile construction industries, and recently, plastic recyclers and assemblers and cleaners of capacitive touch-screen devices.[8]

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-hexane○ According to the European Union’s Dangerous Substances Directive, N-Hexane is highly

flammable, Harmful substances or preparations, Substances or preparations that are dangerous for the environment.

○ Hexanes are significant constituents of gasoline.● They are all colorless liquids at room temperature with gasoline-like odor.● The acute toxicity of n-hexane is low, although it is a mild anesthetic. Inhalation of high

concentrations produces first a state of mild euphoria, followed by somnolence with headaches and nausea.

● The long-term toxicity of n-hexane in humans is well known. Extensive peripheral nervous system failure is known to occur in humans chronically exposed to levels of n-hexane ranging from 400 to 600 ppm, with occasional exposures up to 2,500 ppm. The initial symptoms are tingling and cramps in the arms and legs, followed by general muscular weakness. In severe cases, atrophy of the skeletal muscles is observed, along with a loss of coordination and problems of vision.

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Naphthalene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0439.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 10 ppm (50 mg/m3) ST 15 ppm (75 mg/m3) ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 10 ppm (50 mg/m3)

○ Physical Description: Colorless to brown solid with an odor of mothballs. [Note: Shipped as a molten solid.]

○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes; headache, confusion, excitement, malaise (vague feeling of

discomfort); nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain; irritation bladder; profuse sweating; jaundice; hematuria (blood in the urine), renal shutdown; dermatitis, optical neuritis, corneal damage

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, blood, liver, kidneys, central nervous system ● MedlinePlus Encyclopedia Naphthalene poisoning

○ Humans, in particular children, have developed this condition, known as hemolytic anemia, after ingesting mothballs or deodorant blocks containing naphthalene. Symptoms include fatigue, lack of appetite, restlessness, and pale skin. Exposure to large amounts of naphthalene may cause confusion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the urine, and jaundice (yellow coloration of the skin).

● "NTP Technical Reports 410 and 500". NTP Technical Reports 410 and 500, available from NTP: Long-Term Abstracts & Reports. Retrieved March 6, 2005.

○ When the U.S. National Toxicology Program exposed male and female rats and mice to naphthalene vapors on weekdays for two years, male and female rats exhibited evidence of carcinogenic activity based on increased incidences of adenoma and neuroblastoma of the nose, female mice exhibited some evidence of carcinogenic activity based on increased incidences of alveolar and bronchiolar adenomas of the lung, and male mice exhibited no evidence of carcinogenic activity.

● "IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans". Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Some Traditional Herbal Medicines, Some Mycotoxins, Naphthalene and Styrene, Vol. 82 (2002) (p. 367). Retrieved December 25, 2008.

○ The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies naphthalene as possibly carcinogenic to humans and animals (Group 2B). The IARC also points out that acute exposure causes cataracts in humans, rats, rabbits, and mice; and that hemolytic anemia, described above, can occur in children and infants after oral or inhalation exposure or after maternal exposure during pregnancy.

● Proposition 65, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment○ Under California's Proposition 65, naphthalene is listed as "known to the State to cause

cancer".● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphthalene

○ White solid crystals/flakes, strong odor of coal tar○ Flammable, sensitizer, possible carcinogen. Dust can form explosive mixtures with air○ naphthalene's structure consists of a fused pair of benzene rings. It is best known as the

main ingredient of traditional mothballs.○ Exposure to large amounts of naphthalene may damage or destroy red blood cells.

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Nickel Compounds

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0445.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL *: Ca TWA 0.015 mg/m3 See Appendix A [*Note: The REL does not apply to Nickel carbonyl.]

■ OSHA PEL *: TWA 1 mg/m3 [*Note: The PEL does not apply to Nickel carbonyl.] ○ Physical Description: Metal: Lustrous, silvery, odorless solid. ○ Flammability: Metal: Combustible Solid; nickel sponge catalyst may ignite

SPONTANEOUSLY in air.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: sensitization dermatitis, allergic asthma, pneumonitis; [potential occupational

carcinogen] ○ Target Organs: Nasal cavities, lungs, skin ○ Cancer Site: [lung and nasal cancer]

● Kasprzak; Sunderman Jr, F. W.; Salnikow, K. (2003). "Nickel carcinogenesis". Mutation research 533 (1–2): 67–97. doi:10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2003.08.021. PMID 14643413.Dunnick, JK; Elwell, M. R.; Radovsky, A. E.; Benson, J. M.; Hahn, F. F.; Nikula, K. J.; Barr, E. B.; Hobbs, C. H. (1995). "Comparative carcinogenic effects of nickel subsulfide, nickel oxide, or nickel sulfate hexahydrate chronic exposures in the lung". Cancer Research 55 (22): 5251–6. PMID 7585584.

○ Nickel sulfide fume and dust are believed carcinogenic, and various other nickel compounds may be as well.

● Stellman, Jeanne Mager (1998). Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety: Chemical, industries and occupations. International Labour Organization. pp. 133–. ISBN 978-92-2-109816-4. Retrieved 9 January 2012.Barceloux, Donald G.; Barceloux, Donald (1999). "Nickel". Clinical Toxicology 37 (2): 239–258. doi:10.1081/CLT-100102423. PMID 10382559.

○ Nickel carbonyl can give off highly toxic carbon monoxide gas, and is explosive in air.● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel

○ It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge.○ Nickel carbonyl, [Ni(CO)4], is an extremely toxic gas. ○ Sensitized individuals may show an allergy to nickel, affecting their skin, also known as

dermatitis.

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Nitrate Compounds

● http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/nitrate.cfm#three○ Infants below six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the maximum

contaminant level (MCL) could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue baby syndrome.

● http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=1493877○ Nitrate enters the human body through the use of groundwater for drinking and causes a

number of health disorders, namely, methemoglobinemia, gastric cancer, goitre, birth malformations, hypertension, etc., when present in high concentration in drinking water.

● http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/historical/upload/Archived-Consumer-Fact-Sheet-on-Nitrates-and-or-Nitrites.pdf

○ Long-term: Nitrates and nitrites have the potential to cause the following effects from a lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL: kiuresis, increased starchy deposits and hemorrhaging of the spleen.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrate#Toxicity○ nitrate toxicity can lead to a generalized lack of oxygen in organ tissue and a dangerous

condition called methemoglobinemia. Although nitrite converts to ammonia, if there is more nitrite than can be converted, the animal slowly suffers from a lack of oxygen.[6]

○ Humans are subject to nitrate toxicity, with infants being especially vulnerable to methemoglobinemia. Methemoglobinemia in infants is known as blue baby syndrome.

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Phenol

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0493.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 5 ppm (19 mg/m3) C 15.6 ppm (60 mg/m3) [15-minute] [skin]■ OSHA PEL : TWA 5 ppm (19 mg/m3) [skin]

○ Physical Description: Colorless to light-pink, crystalline solid with a sweet, acrid odor. [Note: Phenol liquefies by mixing with about 8% water.]

○ Flammability: Combustible Solid○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, nose, throat; anorexia, weight loss; lassitude (weakness,

exhaustion), muscle ache, pain; dark urine; cyanosis; liver, kidney damage; skin burns; dermatitis; ochronosis; tremor, convulsions, twitching

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, liver, kidneys ● Budavari, S, ed. (1996). The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemical, Drugs, and Biologicals.

Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck.○ Phenol and its vapors are corrosive to the eyes, the skin, and the respiratory tract.

● Lin TM, Lee SS, Lai CS, Lin SD (June 2006). "Phenol burn". Burns: Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries 32 (4): 517–21. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2005.12.016. PMID 16621299.

○ Repeated or prolonged skin contact with phenol may cause dermatitis, or even second and third-degree burns.

● Warner, MA; Harper, JV (1985). "Cardiac dysrhythmias associated with chemical peeling with phenol". Anesthesiology 62 (3): 366–7. doi:10.1097/00000542-198503000-00030. PMID 2579602.

○ The substance may cause harmful effects on the central nervous system and heart, resulting in dysrhythmia, seizures, and coma. The kidneys may be affected as well.

● World Health Organization/International Labour Organization: International Chemical Safety Cards, http://www.inchem.org/documents/icsc/icsc/eics0070.htm

○ Long-term or repeated exposure of the substance may have harmful effects on the liver and kidneys."

● U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "How can phenol affect my health?". Toxicological Profile for Phenol: 24.

○ There is no evidence that phenol causes cancer in humans.● Budavari, S, ed. (1996). The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemical, Drugs, and Biologicals.

Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck.○ Inhalation of phenol vapor may cause lung edema.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenol○ requires careful handling due to its propensity to cause burns.○ Phenol was first extracted from coal tar, but today is produced on a large scale (about 7

billion kg/year) using a series of industrial processes starting with crude oil.

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Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds

● Exposure to Common Pollutant in Womb Might Lower IQ○ High prenatal exposure to PAH is associated with lower IQ and childhood asthma.

● http://www.ccceh.org/pdf-press/Time10-4-10.pdf○ The Center for Children's Environmental Health reports studies that demonstrate that

exposure to PAH pollution during pregnancy is related to adverse birth outcomes including low birth weight, premature delivery, and heart malformations. Cord blood of exposed babies shows DNA damage that has been linked to cancer. Follow-up studies show a higher level of developmental delays at age three, lower scores on IQ tests and increased behaviorial problems at ages six and eight.

● "Prenatal Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Exposure and Child Behavior at Age 6-7". JournalistsResource.org, retrieved 4 April 2012Perera, Frederica P.; Tang, Deliang; Wang, Shuang; Vishnevetsky, Julia (2012). "Prenatal Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Exposure and Child Behavior at age 6-7". Environmental Health Perspectives. doi:10.1289/ehp.1104315.

○ The study found that exposure to higher levels of PAH was associated with a 24% higher score of anxiety/depression for children ages 6 to 7 than those with low exposure levels. Infants found to have elevated PAH levels in their umbilical cord blood were 46% more likely to eventually score highly on the anxiety/depression scale than those with low PAH levels in cord blood.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycyclic_aromatic_hydrocarbon○ potent atmospheric pollutants○ PAHs occur in oil, coal, and tar deposits, and are produced as byproducts of fuel burning

(whether fossil fuel or biomass)○ As a pollutant, they are of concern because some compounds have been identified as

carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic.○ The EPA has classified seven PAH compounds as probable human carcinogens:

benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, chrysene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene.

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Propylene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0538.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : Ca See Appendix A ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 100 ppm (240 mg/m3)

○ Physical Description: Colorless liquid with a benzene-like odor. [Note: A gas above 94°F.] ○ Flammability: Class IA Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP below 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, respiratory system; skin blisters, burns; [potential

occupational carcinogen] ○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system ○ Cancer Site: [in animals: nasal tumors]

● "Product Safety Assessment(PSA): Propylene". Dow Chemical Co.○ Inhalation of the gas can cause anesthetic effects and at very high concentrations,

unconsciousness. However, the asphyxiation limit for humans is about 10 times higher (23%) than the lower flammability level.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene○ Colorless gas○ Highly flammable and an Asphyxiant○ It is considered a volatile organic compound (VOC) and emissions are regulated by many

governments, but it is not listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act

○ Since propylene is volatile and flammable, precautions must be taken to avoid fire hazards in the handling of the gas.

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Styrene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0571.html○ Exposure Limit:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 50 ppm (215 mg/m3) ST 100 ppm (425 mg/m3) ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 100 ppm C 200 ppm 600 ppm (5-minute maximum peak in any

3 hours) ○ Physical Description: Colorless to yellow, oily liquid with a sweet, floral odor. ○ Flammability: Class IC Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. at or above 73°F and below 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, nose, respiratory system; headache, lassitude (weakness,

exhaustion), dizziness, confusion, malaise (vague feeling of discomfort), drowsiness, unsteady gait; narcosis; defatting dermatitis; possible liver injury; reproductive effects

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, liver, reproductive system

● Denis H. James William M. Castor, “Styrene” in Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2005.MSDS (1 November 2010). "Material Safety Data Sheet Styrene (monomer) MSDS". MSDS. Retrieved 2011-06-11.US EPA (December 1994). "OPPT Chemical Fact Sheets (Styrene) Fact Sheet: Support Document (CAS No. 100-42-5)". US EPA. Retrieved 2011-06-11.http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts53.pdf

○ tyrene is regarded as a "hazardous chemical", especially in case of eye contact, but also in case of skin contact, of ingestion and of inhalation, according to several sources.

● "EPA settles case against Phoenix company for toxic chemical reporting violations". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 2008-02-11."EPA Fines California Hot Tub Manufacturer for Toxic Chemical Release Reporting Violations". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 2008-02-11.

○ The U.S. EPA has described styrene to be "a suspected toxin to the gastrointestinal tract, kidney, and respiratory system, among others."

● Harris, Gardiner (10 June 2011). "Government Says 2 Common Materials Pose Risk of Cancer". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-06-11.National Toxicology Program (10 June 2011). "12th Report on Carcinogens". National Toxicology Program. Retrieved 2011-06-11.

○ On 10 June 2011, the U.S. National Toxicology Program has described styrene as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen".

● http://stats.org/stories/2011/styrene_crosshairs_sept14_11.htmlBoffetta, P., et al., Epidemiologic Studies of Styrene and Cancer: A Review of the Literature, J. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Nov.2009, V.51, N.11.

○ However, a STATS author describes a review that was done on scientific literature and concluded that "The available epidemiologic evidence does not support a causal relationship between styrene exposure and any type of human cancer.".

● US EPA (2006-06-28). "Styrene / Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Web site". United States. Retrieved 2011-06-01.

○ Chronic exposure to styrene leads to tiredness/lethargy, memory deficits, headaches and vertigo.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styrene○ Colorless oily liquid○ flammable, toxic○ has a sweet smell, although high concentrations confer a less pleasant odor.○ Styrene is the precursor to polystyrene

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Sulfuric Acid (1994 and after “Acid Aerosols” only)

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0577.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 1 mg/m3 ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 1 mg/m3

○ Physical Description: Colorless to dark-brown, oily, odorless liquid. [Note: Pure compound is a solid below 51°F. Often used in an aqueous solution.]

○ Flammability: Noncombustible Liquid, but capable of igniting finely divided combustible materials.

○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose, throat; pulmonary edema, bronchitis; emphysema;

conjunctivitis; stomatis; dental erosion; eye, skin burns; dermatitis ○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, teeth

● "Sulfuric acid". "Colorless (pure) to dark brown, oily, dense liquid with acrid odor."○ Clear, colorless to slightly yellow, odorless, viscous liquid. (Sometimes, it may be dark

brown as dyed during industrial production process in order to alert people to its hazards.)

● Full title: Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances.

○ “corrosive, dangerous for the environment, toxic” according to one of the main European Union laws concerning chemical safety, the Dangerous Substances Directive.

● "Sulfuric acid safety data sheet". "Clear to turbid oily odorless liquid, colorless to slightly yellow."○ It readily attacks cornea if it contacts eyes, resulting in permanent blindness.

Furthermore, it can cause irreversible destruction to internal organs and may be fatal if swallowed.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid○ It’s corrosive on metals, living tissues (e.g. skin and flesh), and even stones. If

concentrated, it has a strong dehydrating and oxidizing property.○ Sulfuric acid at a high concentration can cause very serious damage upon contact, as it

not only causes chemical burn via hydrolysis, but also secondary thermal burn via dehydration.

○ It burns cornea and can lead to permanent blindness if splashed onto eyes.○ Sulfuric acid is dangerously corrosive and can cause very severe burns. it results in

chemical burn upon contact as it readily decomposes proteins and lipids in living tissues through amide hydrolysis and ester hydrolysis.

○ it also exhibits dehydrating property which dehydrates carbohydrates, liberating extra heat and resulting in secondary thermal burn in addition to the chemical burn.

○ Exposure to aerosols at high concentrations leads to immediate and severe irritation of the eyes, respiratory tract and mucous membranes: this ceases rapidly after exposure, although there is a risk of subsequent pulmonary edema if tissue damage has been more severe. At lower concentrations, the most commonly reported symptom of chronic exposure to sulfuric acid aerosols is erosion of the teeth, found in virtually all studies: indications of possible chronic damage to the respiratory tract are inconclusive as of 1997.

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Page 67: Chemicals Emitted from Houston Valero Refinery- A Report by the Tar Sands Blockade

Tert-Butyl Alcohol

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0078.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 100 ppm (300 mg/m3) ST 150 ppm (450 mg/m3) ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 100 ppm (300 mg/m3)

○ Physical Description: Colorless solid or liquid (above 77°F) with a camphor-like odor. [Note: Often used in aqueous solutions.]

○ Flammability: Combustible Solid Class IB Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F.

○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose, throat; drowsiness, narcosis ○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tert-butyl_alcohol○ tert-Butanol is a clear liquid (or a colorless solid, depending on the ambient temperature)

with a camphor-like odor.○ EU Classificatoin: flammable and harmful

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Page 68: Chemicals Emitted from Houston Valero Refinery- A Report by the Tar Sands Blockade

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Page 69: Chemicals Emitted from Houston Valero Refinery- A Report by the Tar Sands Blockade

Toluene

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0619.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 100 ppm (375 mg/m3) ST 150 ppm (560 mg/m3) ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 200 ppm C 300 ppm 500 ppm (10-minute maximum peak)

○ Physical Description: Colorless liquid with a sweet, pungent, benzene-like odor. ○ Flammability: Class IB Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F.○ Exposure Route: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, nose; lassitude (weakness, exhaustion), confusion, euphoria,

dizziness, headache; dilated pupils, lacrimation (discharge of tears); anxiety, muscle fatigue, insomnia; paresthesia; dermatitis; liver, kidney damage

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, liver, kidneys ● Streicher HZ, Gabow PA, Moss AH, Kono D, Kaehny WD (1981). "Syndromes of toluene sniffing

in adults". Ann. Intern. Med. 94 (6): 758–62. PMID 7235417.Devathasan G, Low D, Teoh PC, Wan SH, Wong PK (1984). "Complications of chronic glue (toluene) abuse in adolescents". Aust N Z J Med 14 (1): 39–43.

○ toluene is sometimes also used as an inhalant drug for its intoxicating properties; however, inhaling toluene has potential to cause severe neurological harm.

● "Health Effects of Toluene", Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety."Toluene Toxicity Physiologic Effects", Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

○ Toluene should not be inhaled due to its health effects. Low to moderate levels can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, loss of appetite, and hearing and color vision loss. These symptoms usually disappear when exposure is stopped. Inhaling high levels of toluene in a short time may cause light-headedness, nausea, or sleepiness. It can also cause unconsciousness, and even death.

● Dees, C; Askari M, Henley D (Dec 1996). "Carcinogenic potential of benzene and toluene when evaluated using cyclin-dependent kinase activation and p53-DNA binding". Environmental Health Perspectictives 104 (6): 1289–92. PMC 1469723. PMID 9118908.

○ toluene has very little carcinogenic potential.● Yamaguchi, H; Kidachi Y, Ryoyama K (May-June 2002). "Toluene at environmentally relevant low

levels disrupts differentiation of astrocyte precursor cells". Archives of Environmental Health 57 (3): 232–8. PMID 12507177.

○ exposure of pregnant women to toluene during critical stages of fetal development could cause serious disruption to neuronal development.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toluene○ clear, water-insoluble liquid with the typical smell of paint thinners

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Page 71: Chemicals Emitted from Houston Valero Refinery- A Report by the Tar Sands Blockade

Vanadium Compounds

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0653.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL *: C 0.05 mg V/m3 [15-minute] [*Note: The REL applies to all vanadium compounds except Vanadium metal and Vanadium carbide (see Ferrovanadium dust).]

■ OSHA PEL : C 0.5 mg V2O5/m3 (resp) ○ Physical Description: Yellow-orange powder or dark-gray, odorless flakes dispersed in air. ○ Flammability: Noncombustible Solid, but may increase intensity of fire when in contact

with combustible materials.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact ○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, throat; green tongue, metallic taste, eczema; cough; fine

rales, wheezing, bronchitis, dyspnea (breathing difficulty) ○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system

● Sax, N. I. (1984). Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, 6th ed.. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. pp. 2717–2720.Ress, N. B.; et al. (2003). "Carcinogenicity of inhaled vanadium pentoxide in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice". Toxicological Sciences 74 (2): 287–296. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfg136. PMID 12773761.Jörg M. Wörle-Knirsch, Katrin Kern, Carsten Schleh, Christel Adelhelm, Claus Feldmann, and Harald F. Krug (2007). "Nanoparticulate Vanadium Oxide Potentiated Vanadium Toxicity in Human Lung Cells". Environ. Sci. Technol. 41 (1): 331–336. doi:10.1021/es061140x. PMID 17265967.

○ Inhalation exposures to vanadium and vanadium compounds result primarily in adverse effects on the respiratory system.

● [a] Ress, N. B.; et al. (2003). "Carcinogenicity of inhaled vanadium pentoxide in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice". Toxicological Sciences 74 (2): 287–296. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfg136. PMID 12773761.[b] Duffus, J. H. (2007). "Carcinogenicity classification of vanadium pentoxide and inorganic vanadium compounds, the NTP study of carcinogenicity of inhaled vanadium pentoxide, and vanadium chemistry". Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 47 (1): 110–114. doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2006.08.006. PMID 17030368.

○ Vanadium pentoxide was reported to be carcinogenic in male rats and male and female mice by inhalation in an NTP study,[a] although the interpretation of the results has recently been disputed. [b]

● Opreskos, Dennis M. (1991). "Toxicity Summary for Vanadium". Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Retrieved 2008-11-08.

○ Vanadium has not been classified as to carcinogenicity by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanadium○ hard, silvery gray, ductile and malleable transition metal.○ produce from the flue dust of heavy oil○ used as a catalyst for the production of sulfuric acid.○ Vanadium is probably a micronutrient in mammals, including humans, but its precise role

in this regard is unknown.○ All vanadium compounds should be considered toxic.○ The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recommended

that 35 mg/m3 of vanadium be considered immediately dangerous to life and health.○ Vanadium traces in diesel fuels present a corrosion hazard

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Page 72: Chemicals Emitted from Houston Valero Refinery- A Report by the Tar Sands Blockade

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Xylene (Mixed Isomers)

● http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0669.html○ Exposure Limits:

■ NIOSH REL : TWA 100 ppm (435 mg/m3) ST 150 ppm (655 mg/m3) ■ OSHA PEL : TWA 100 ppm (435 mg/m3)

○ Physical Description: Colorless liquid with an aromatic odor.○ Flammibility: Class IC Flammable Liquid: Fl.P. at or above 73°F and below 100°F.○ Exposure Routes: inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact○ Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose, throat; dizziness, excitement, drowsiness,

incoordination, staggering gait; corneal vacuolization; anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain; dermatitis

○ Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, blood, liver, kidneys

● SIRI, Xylenes Materials Safety Data Sheet, MSDS No. X2000, Vermont Safety Information Resources, Inc., 1997-9-8. Accessed 2012-4-27.

○ it is highly flammable.● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylene

○ xylenes are hence found in small amounts in gasoline and airplane fuels.○ Xylenes are not highly toxic

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