Inhalants solvents

Severe but reversible liver and kidney injury occurred in a person who was a glue sniffer for 3 years. The chief component of the inhaled solvent was toluene (80% vol/vol) other ingredients were not listed. In workers exposed for many years to concentrations in the range of 80-3 00 ppm, there was no clinical or laboratory evidence of altered liver function. ... 

Opiates Cocaine Amphetamine-ty >e stimulants Hallucinogens Cannabis Hypnotics and Sedatives Inhalants/ solvents ... 

There are a wide variety of solvents used in industrial processes, and exposure can also occur in other occupational settings such as laboratories and workshops. Solvents can have toxic effects ranging from narcosis, irritation, and degreasing of skin to effects on major organs such as the central nervous and reproductive systems. The trend of inhaling solvents, for their narcotic effects, which became popular in teenagers will be discussed on p. 198. 

Inhaling aerosol propellants is a bit mure complicated than inhaling solvents because the propellants come mixed with other substances. For example when you press the button on a can of black spray paint, what comes out is a cloud of tiny droplets of black paint and gas. Inhaling black paint does not get you high and can make you very sick. Some users solve this problem by spraying the can into a bag or balloon so that the particles separate from the gas by adhering to the sides. Others turn the cans upside down so that only Freon comes out, and still others inhale the sprays through doth filters. 

HFC-134a (CI, CII, 1) -27 Domestic refrigeration, automobile air-conditioning, supermarket fresh food stores, hot climate air-conditioning insulating foam blowing metered dose inhalers solvent for flavor and fragrance extraction... 

Inhalants solvent abuse, multiple organ damage see toxicology section... 

Use of Stoddard solvent for painting and in printing inks increases the likelihood of exposure by painters and others who work in areas where Stoddard solvent is used. In addition, people who use commercial products such as degreasers and paints which contain Stoddard solvent may also be exposed by inhaling solvent vapors or by dermal contact with the product. Use of a respirator and good ventilation can reduce exposure to the solvent vapors and protective clothing will help prevent dermal contact. 

Inhaled solvent vapors pass via the lungs and blood circulation into the body, where they accumulate in tissues with high lipid content (e.g., nerves, brain, bone marrow, adipose tissue, liver, and kidneys) [14.104]. The cells can either be damaged by the solvents or by their decomposition products. Solvents can also pass into the body via cutaneous or, more rarely, gastrointestinal absorption [14.105], [14.106]. 

In order for any inhaled solvent vapors to enter the blood circulation, they need to reach the alveoli, cross the gas-blood interface and dissolve in the blood. Gas is carried to the gas-blood interface by airways, while blood is carried by blood vessels. Since these functions take place in the lung, the essentials of respiratory physiology will be briefly reviewed. 

Effects of the lungs of inhaled solvents simplify to the consideration of agents affecting airway cells that include n-hexane and PCBs. Both cause proliferation and transformation of distal airway lining cells to produce mucus and obstruct airways and cause inflammatory cells to pour into the lungs distal alveolar spaces interfering wifli for gas exchange. 

Do not inhale solvent vapors. If a hood is not available to you, clamp an inverted funnel just above the Erlenmeyer flask in which you will be heating solvents. Attach this funnel to a source of vacuum by means of rubber tubing (Fig. 2.71b). 

Carotenoid isolation is carried out in open-column chromatography (OCC). OCC should be carried out under a fume hood to protect the analyst from inhaling solvent vapor. Breathing hexane, for example, should be avoided due to neurotoxicity of some of its oxidative metabolites [87]. The isolation procedure is as follows. 

At each school, a sample of those who acknowledged that they had inhaled solvents to the point of intoxication at any time in the past were selected for individual assessment. For each case, a control who denied sniffing on the questionnaire was also selected. The controls were selected from the same schools as the cases and were individually matched for school year and sex. 

In addition, chemicals can have acute effects on the brain. When inhaled, solvent vapors enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body, particularly the nervous system. Most solvents have a narcotic effect. This means they affect the nervous system by causing dizziness, headaches, feelings of drunkenness, and tiredness. One result of these symptoms may be poor coordination, which can contribute to falls and other accidents on a worksite. Exposure to some solvents may increase the effects of alcoholic beverages. 

---