Vinyl Chloride Exposure Symptoms

Vinyl chloride disease is what studies in the 1970s named a common set of symptoms they observed in pvc workers raynaud s phenomenon muscle or joint pain and a severe connective tissue disease known as sclerodactyly or scleroderma that causes the fingers to harden into a curled shape.

Vinyl chloride exposure symptoms.

Chemical poisoning vinyl choride. Vinyl chloride is used primarily to make pvc a substance used in products such as pipes. A small percentage of individuals occupationally exposed to high levels of vinyl chloride in air have developed a set of symptoms termed vinyl chloride disease which is characterized by raynaud s phenomenon fingers blanch and numbness and discomfort are experienced upon exposure to the cold changes in the bones at the end of the fingers. Over 40 years ago the u s.

Learn about vinyl chloride which can raise the risk of a rare form of liver cancer as well as brain and lung cancers and leukemia and lymphoma. It can also irritate the eyes skin mucous membranes and respiratory tract. Breathing vinyl chloride for a lifetime at 0 62 ppbv is very unlikely to be harmful to people. Most people cannot smell vinyl chloride until the level is between 300 and 10 000 ppbv.

Exposure to vinyl chloride over many years can affect the liver nervous system and skin. Acute exposure to vinyl chloride can lead to symptoms that include weakness dizziness fatigue weight loss numbness and tingling of the extremities visual disturbances and in severe cases to coma and death. Symptoms of vinyl chloride exposure. Vinyl choride is an intermediate chemical used in the manufacturing process of a variety of products.

These symptoms include dizziness ataxia fatigue drowsiness headache and loss of consciousness. Plastic or vinyl odor exposure part 3. Centers for disease control and prevention cdc published an intensive study of the health dangers of a chemical plastics plant. The cancer is thought to be caused by exposure to vinyl chloride and other toxins.

With inhalation exposure signs and symptoms increase in severity over a range of 8 000 to 20 000 ppm in air. Polyvinyl chloride pipes wire coverings vehicle plastics rubber paper furniture and glass. The symptoms reported most commonly stem from the anesthetic properties of vinyl chloride. The review determined vinyl chloride vc monomer was a causative agent of the deadly cancer angiosarcoma.

Long term exposure can cause a rare form of liver cancer. At very high levels the epa reports vinyl chloride can cause loss of consciousness lung and kidney irritation and in extreme cases. Short term exposure to moderate levels of vinyl chloride in the air can result in a headache vertigo loss of consciousness and fatigue nervous system damage is also possible. A single small exposure to vinyl chloride from which a person recovers quickly is unlikely to cause delayed or long term effects.