Can you smell benzene

That's why smells make our brains form strong, emotionally salient memories and at a subconscious level. Maybe your brain linked the smell of gas with happy childhood memories of summer road trips, going out in the motorboat, riding your bike on the side of a country road as a kid, or spending time in the garage as dad worked on the car.

When you catch that benzene aroma, it may trigger a cozy, nostalgic feeling linked with a salient memory. Another theory focuses more on the physical effect benzene has on nerve receptors that detect the smell.

Benzene and other hydrocarbons, when inhaled, have a suppressing effect on the nervous system, which results in a temporary, euphoric feeling. Whenever your olfactory nerves get that hit of benzene, the mesolimbic system delivers a pleasing shot of dopamine. Do more of this. The mesolimbic pathway, as you probably inferred, is a key player in the neurobiology of addiction. Indeed, gasoline is a commonly abused inhalant and is devastating to the health of those who become addicted.

While compelling, they are hardly conclusive. Register or Log In. The Magazine Shop. Login Register Stay Curious Subscribe. Benzene is a colorless petroleum-based chemical that is used to manufacture industrial dyes, explosives, synthetic rubber, detergents, plastics and pesticides. It is also found in gasoline and the smoke that comes from cigarettes.

Benzene poisoning can be lethal because it causes the cells in the body to work incorrectly. Benzene exposure can cause bone marrow cells to not produce red blood cells or it can can cause the white blood cells of your immune system to fail.

There is a window of time after smelling benzene during a leak to be able to take action or leave the area without any harm, but persistent exposure can be dangerous. In addition, pre-existing medical conditions and age can play a large role in the severity of your benzene poisoning symptoms. As mentioned, Benzene can be found in gasoline and diesel fuel. As such, it can be found outdoors as a result of industrial emissions, motor vehicle exhaust fumes, and tobacco smoke. In fact, one of the largest sources of benzene exposure is tobacco smoke.

It is a common ingredient in many industrial solvents and can also be added to paints and lacquers. Some of the most common places you can find benzene indoors includes glues, paints, and detergents. It is not legal or safe for benzene to be used in home cleaning products, toys or equipment and is only fit for industrial purposes. It can be released into air via sprays and aerosols, mists, or vapors which can be especially harmful in an agricultural setting.

It can also be found in contaminated water or food. It is highly flammable with a very low flash point. It is heavier than air, so during a leak it tends to be found down low in sewer areas where it can pool. Benzene poisoning occurs after the chemical is swallowed, inhaled or touched with exposed skin. If you or someone you love has been exposed to benzene, immediate action must be taken following contact.

Ingesting the substance, for example, can cause discomfort in the stomach and a loss of appetite. It can also cause a myriad of digestive symptoms, including:. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated. How well someone does depends on how much benzene they swallowed and how quickly they receive treatment.

The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery. Benzene is very poisonous. Poisoning can cause rapid death.

However, deaths have occurred as long as 3 days after the poisoning. This happens because:. People who have regular exposure to low levels of benzene can also become sick. The most common problems are blood diseases, including:. People who work with benzene products should only do so in areas with good air flow. They should also wear protective gloves and eye glasses. Toxicological profile for benzene. Updated September 26, Accessed October 25, In: Kliegman RM, St.

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