Organic compounds – health hazards

Mike Slater

Organic

Compounds containing carbon

(with some important exceptions)

Inorganic

Compounds that aren’t organic!

Aromatic Compounds

benzene naphthalenebenzo(a)pyrene

CH3

toluene

CH3

CH3m-xylene

Compounds containing benzene rings

Aliphatic Compounds

Organic compounds that aren’t aromatic!

Many organic compounds are highly volatile

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Concentration depends on vapour pressure

Increases with temperature

Low vapour pressure gives lower vapour concentration

Where is exposure to VOCs likely to occur?

Industrial solvents

Paints

Adhesives

Cleaning

Volatile Organic Compounds

Generic effects

Acute:

Depression of central nervous system

Narcosis increases with:

Number of carbon atoms

Number of carbon containing side groups

Halogenation

Alcohol groups

Degree of unsaturation

Irritation

Extraction of fat / lipids from cell membranes

Acute:

Irriation

Increased effect with number of functional

groups

unsaturated compounds

Defatting of skin - dermatitis

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/skin/occderm-slides/ocderm8.html

Sub - acute:

Neurotoxicity

Chronic:

Effects on other organs

Chronic:

Teratogens

Effects on developing foetus

Chronic:

Summary of generic effects of volatile organic compounds

Acute

Narcosis Irritation

Sub acute

Dermatitis

Chronic

Neurotoxicity Effects on other organs Some are teratogens

Individual compounds also have their own specific effects

n-Hexane can cause peripheral neuritis

Benzene - is a known human carcinogen causing leukaemia

Styrene is highly irritant

CHCH2

styrene

Many Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) can cause bladder and other cancers

benzo(a)pyrene

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Mike Slater

Mike Slater, Diamond Environmental Ltd. ([email protected])

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