injuries and poisoning
Hydrocarbon Poisoning
Introduction
Hydrocarbons are petroleum products, such as gasoline and kerosene, and are also ingredients in many paint thinners, solvents, glues, and some cleaning products. They are dangerous when the fumes are breathed or the liquid gets into the lungs. Swallowing or inhaling hydrocarbons can cause lung irritation, with coughing, choking, shortness of breath, and neurologic problems. Sniffing or breathing fumes can cause irregular heartbeats, rapid heart rate, or sudden death, particularly after exertion or stress. The diagnosis is based on a description of the events, the characteristic odor of petroleum on the person’s breath or clothing, and sometimes a chest x-ray. Treatment involves removing contaminated clothing, washing the skin, and giving oxygen and sometimes antibiotics to people with breathing problems or pneumonia. (See also Overview of Poisoning .) Petroleum products, cleaning products, and glues contain hydrocarbons (substances composed largely of hydrogen and carbon). Many children younger than age 5 are poisoned by swallowing petroleum products, such as gasoline, kerosene, and paint thinners, but most recover. At greater risk are adolescents who intentionally breathe the fumes of glues, paint, solvents, cleaning sprays, gasoline, or propellants in some aerosols to become intoxicated, a type of substance use called huffing, bagging, sniffing, glue sniffing, or Volatile Solvents . Such inhalation may cause fatal irregular heartbeats or cardiac arrest, especially after exertion or stress. Repeated inhalation of toluene (a component of some of these products) can damage parts of the brain. Some hydrocarbon products also contain poisonous additives such as methanol or lead. Swallowed hydrocarbons cause coughing and choking, which allows the hydrocarbon liquid to enter the airways and irritate the lungs, a serious condition in itself ( Chemical Pneumonitis ), and can lead to severe pneumonia. Lung involvement is a particular problem with thin, easy-flowing hydrocarbons such as mineral spirits, which is a solvent used in paint thinner and for cleaning tools, and others, including gasoline. Severe poisoning also can affect the brain, heart, bone marrow, and kidneys. Thick, less-runny hydrocarbons such as lamp oil and motor oil are less likely to enter the lungs but can cause severe and persistent irritation if they do. A person who gets high by breathing hydrocarbon fumes may die suddenly from fatal irregular heartbeats or cardiac arrest. 