chemical information

CAS RN:

00100-41-4

Chemical Class:

Semivolatile organic compounds

Chemical SubClass

Aromatics

Found in these people:

Lucy Waletsky

Found in these locations:

Pleasantville, NY

Summary

Laboratory animals. Neurological effects of ethyl benzene include tremor, loss of muscle coordination, loss of consciousness, increased turnover of dopamine and noradrenalin in parts of the brain. Immune effects include increased white blood cell count, enlarged lymph nodes, cellular changes in the bone marrow and increased spleen weight. Other organs affected include the liver (tumors, increased weight, cellular changes, altered enzyme levels), kidney (tumors, increased weight and cellular effects), lungs (tumors, decreased respiration, increased weight, pulmonary congestion, lung irritation and hemorrhage), thyroid (cellular changes) and pituitary (cellular changes). Reproductive effects include cellular changes in the testes (including tumors) and prostate. Ethyl benzene also causes decreased serum prolactin. Developmental effects include delayed skeletal development, skeletal malformations and miscarriage (OEHHA 1997a).

Humans. In humans, ethyl benzene has been associated with eye and nose irritation, dizziness, central nervous system depression, headache, insomnia, skin irritation. Prolonged exposure may be associated with decreased number of white blood corpuscles, excess lymph cells in the blood, impaired neurofunction, inflammation of the respiratory tract and hepatitis. No studies have assessed whether ethyl benzene is associated with reproductive problems or cancer in humans (OEHHA 1997a).

Ethyl Benzene

Ethyl benzene damages the lung, liver, and kidney of animals. At higher doses, ethyl benzene causes brain, nervous system and thyroid and reproductive toxicity. Eye and respiratory irritant.

Ethyl Benzene has been found in 1 of the 9 people tested in EWG/Commonweal studies.

Results for Ethyl Benzene

Showing results from EWG/Commonweal Study #1, industrial chemicals and pesticides in adults

EWG/Commonweal results

• found in 1 of 9 people in the group

found in 1 of 9 people, but not quantified