ABSTRACT
All the petroleum distillates are liquids. They contain mostly branched-chain or straight-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons and are used as fuels and solvents. The exposure limit for ligroin, which contains aromatic hydrocarbons other than benzene, is 300 ppm. Pesticides, camphor, metals, or halogenated compounds dissolved in petroleum distillates also increase their toxicity. The principal manifestations of poisoning with the agents are pulmonary irritation and central nervous system depression. Adequate ventilation must always be supplied in workrooms where benzene is being used. Rapid progression of symptoms and lack of response to removal of the hydrocarbon indicate a poor outcome. The national maximum for hydrocarbons in community air is 0.24 ppm of compounds other than methane. Petroleum distillates have far greater toxic effects when they are aspirated into the tracheobronchial tree than when they are merely ingested: ingestion of 500–1000 ml may produce only minor symptoms, but aspiration of as little as 1 ml can result in overwhelming chemical pneumonitis.
