health and safety plan solid waste management unit assessment

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AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE
liver enzymes. Hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels) accompanying
aspiration pneumonitis accounts for the CNS manifestation, not direct
CNS toxicity of the gasoline. Most symptoms are reversible within 48
hours (2279).
Dermal exposure to gasoline vapor and liquid is also possible.
Considering the physical/chemical properties of the volatile
components, they should be readily absorbed through the skin (2286).
Liquid gasoline is irritating to the skin. Prolonged contact causes a
chemical burn (2228). Hypersensitivity may develop in certain
individuals (54).
Exposure of volunteers to gasoline vapors indicated no ocular
irritation at a concentration of 140 ppm. Irritation of the eyes and
throat was. seen at vapor levels of 270 to 900 ppm. If splashed into
the eye, pain and irritation occurs, but there is only slight,
transient cornea1 epithelial disturbance (19).
65.3.2.2 Chronic Toxicologic Effects
The possible long-term effects of chronic inhalation of gasoline
have been reported as anorexia, weight loss, weakness and cramps
(2284). The neurological and encephalopathic effects seen in severe
cases include incoordination and tremors, however, these effects appear
reversible with therapy and cessation of exposure (1570). Post-mortem
findings of gasoline sniffers frequently show cerebral and pulmonary
edema; if death is delayed, necrosis of the liver and kidney is
evident. The minor components of gasoline such as -benzene, xylene and
tetraethyl lead contribute more to these chronic effects than do the
aliphatic hydrocarbons (2284,2277).
Infrequent or controversial effects of chronic inhalation include
decreased intelligence and fetal retardation. It is known that
exposure to gasoline vapors leads to increased mean blood levels
(specific components not reported) in women and fetuses. In a study
conducted by Hunter fi &. (2282), a community of SO0 American Indians
with prevalent gasoline abuse showed a high incidence of mental
retardation (48 of live births). Although alcohol abuse was
widespread, the infants' clinical signs were not typical of fetal
alcohol syndrome. Methyl mercury poisoning would account for the
symptoms, however blood and hair mercury levels within the community
were low. Therefore this study suggested that the retardation was due
to prenatal exposure to organic lead present in the gasoline vapors.
Although there has been’a rough correlation between the temporal.
increase in gasoline production/consumption and elevated renal cancer
mortality, geographic ecologic studies comparing counties involved in
petroleum refining with control counties have shown no significant
increase in kidney cancer deaths. Cohort studies comparing refinery
workers with the general population showed no consistent increases in
standardized mortality rates of kidney cancer. However, most of these
studies were not designed or analyzed with a gasoline exposure - kidney
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