Household accidental exposure

In contrast, in a US Poison Center study of a random sampling of 500 cases of chemical eye exposure over a 6-month period in 1986, the majority (84.4%) occurred in the home and involved household products [15]. These most commonly involved accidental exposures in children [15]. 

Since ETS contains phenol, reducing the amount of smoking indoors will reduce phenol exposures. Household products and over-the-counter medications containing phenol should be stored out of reach of young children to prevent accidental poisonings and skin bums. Always store household chemicals in their original labeled containers. Never store household chemicals in containers that children would find attractive to eat or drink from, such as old soda bottles. Keep your Poison Control Center s number next to the phone. 

Chemicals reach us through various media. By media we mean the vehicles that carry the chemical and that get it into contact with the body. Thus, food, beverages, air, water, and soils and dusts are the principal environmental media through which chemical exposures take place. Direct contact with the chemical, as with cosmetics applied to the skin, or household products accidentally splashed into the eye, may also occur, in which case the cosmetic or household product may be said to be the medium through which exposure occurs. Exposures to medicines occur by ingestion of tablets containing them, by injection, and by other means. Sometimes workers come into direct contact with the substances they are using. 

Residents can be exposed to household products by accidental ingestion, skin contact, splashing into the eyes, and by inhalation of vapors or airborne particles. Exposures can be short-term, resulting from a single product use or spill, to long-term, from frequent product use or off-gassing of volatile components. 

Ingestion is the most common form of accidental and intentional exposure. This occurs primarily via drinking bromonated water. In the past, inhalation was a more common route of exposure during anesthesia. However, due to the associated toxicities, bromoform is no longer popular as an anesthetic. Inhalation can still be a significant route of exposure via volatilization of household or workplace water. Dermal absorption is possible but not likely to be a significant route of exposure in intact skin. 

The primary route of exposure occurs via inhalation, ingestion, and eye and skin contact. The potential indoor exposures include paints and other coatings, inks, adhesives, nail polishes, cosmetics, and household cleaning supplies. Exposures can also occur through accidental industrial releases. 

Acute oral exposures of humans to large amounts of 2-butoxyethanol have been shown to cause coma and respiratory depression, in addition to hematotoxic effects. Although this route of exposure is the least likely for the general population, the existence of many household products containing 2-butoxyethanol or 2-butoxyethanol acetate makes accidental poisoning a potential problem, particularly for children. 

Although information on cardiovascular effects in humans and animals exposed by inhalation to 2-butoxyethanol are limited, it is unlikely that exposure of humans to occupational and ambient environmental air levels and air levels at hazardous waste sites of 2-butoxyethanol or 2-butoxyethanol acetate would result in cardiovascular effects. Oral and dermal studies of animals exposed to 2-butoxyethanol and 2-butoxy-ethanol acetate also indicate little concern for human exposure in environmental and hazardous waste site scenarios. However, the case reports of human ingestion of household products containing 2-butoxy-ethanol indicate that caution should be taken in the cases of intentional or accidental ingestion of large quantities of 2-butoxyethanol. 

In recent years, the testing and control of pharmaceuticals for the presence of geno-toxic impurities have been under regulatory scrutiny. Because of their dedicated use—in many cases chronic use—in humans, pharmaceuticals are expected to be of high purity and little batch-to-batch variability is allowed. This focus is justified compared to chemicals of other use areas, for which exposure may be dedicated but limited (e.g., cosmetics), more of an accidental type (e.g., household chemicals), or low and chronic under workplace or use conditions (e.g., pesticides, industrial chemicals). 

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