Exposure to hydrogen sulfide

Levels of Significant Exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide - Inhalation 2-2 Levels of Significant Exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide - Oral 2-3 Metabolic Pathways of Hydrogen Sulfide Biotransformation... 

Hydrogen sulfide has not been shown to cause cancer in humans, and its possible ability to cause cancer in animals has not been studied thoroughly. Hydrogen sulfide has not been classified for its ability to cause or not cause cancer. There is some evidence that exposure to hydrogen sulfide may lead to an increase in spontaneous abortions in humans. However, the studies where this effect was reported are complicated by exposures to other chemicals and a lack of information on the amount of exposure to hydrogen sulfide. 

HOW CAN FAMILIES REDUCE THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO HYDROGEN SULFIDE ... 

TABLE 2-1. Levels of Significant Exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide - Inhalation... 

EKGs taken on two workers about 2.5 hours after an acute exposure to hydrogen sulfide showed cardiac arrhythmias (Krekel 1964). The workers were exposed for <5 minutes after a spill of sodium sulfide that broke down to release hydrogen sulfide. In one individual, a negative P wave indicating a substitute rhythm was noted, while in the other individual a continuous arrhythmia due to atrial flutter was found. EKGs for both men had returned to normal within 24 hours. 

Hematological Effects. The cyanosis that has been reported in a number of cases of accidental exposure to hydrogen sulfide is believed to result from respiratory distress (Arnold et al. 1985 Burnett et al. 1977 Deng and Chang 1987 Peters 1981 Ravizza et al. 1982 Stine et al. 1976 Tvedt et al. 1991a, 1991b). 

Musculoskeletal Effects. In a series of reports characterizing the responses of healthy volunteers to low level, short-term exposures to hydrogen sulfide, Bhambhani and his colleagues (Bhambhani and Singh 1991 Bhambhani et al. 1994, 1996a, 1996b, 1997) concluded that exposures to 5 or 10 ppm... 

Endocrine Effects. No studies were located regarding endocrine effects in humans after inhalation exposure to hydrogen sulfide. 

Acute human exposure to hydrogen sulfide can result in nausea, headaches, delirium, disturbed equilibrium, poor memory, neurobehavioral changes, olfactory paralysis, loss of consciousness, tremors, and convulsions. Fatigue, poor memory, dizziness, and irritability have been observed in workers chronically exposed to hydrogen sulfide (Beauchamp et al. 1984). 

The intermediate-duration effects of hydrogen sulfide on neurological function were examined by the measurement of motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities of the tail nerve or morphology of the sciatic nerve (Gagnaire et al. 1986). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0 or 50 ppm hydrogen sulfide for 5 days a week, for 25 weeks. The study authors did not report the duration of exposure to hydrogen sulfide per day. No neurotoxic effects were observed in the rats. 

In a recent retrospective study of spontaneous abortions in a large population of women working in the petrochemical industry in China, Xu et al. (1998) reported a significantly increased risk of spontaneous abortion with frequent exposure to petrochemicals (odds ratio of 2.7 95% Cl 1.8-3.9). When the risk associated with exposure to specific chemicals was examined, exposure to hydrogen sulfide was found to have an odds ratio of 2.3 (95% Cl = 1.2-4.4). 

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