Poisoning by paint fumes
Dyes are used everywhere in various spheres of everyday life and production. Pigments are substances that impart color to paints and enamels, according to their chemical structure, they can be mineral and organic, natural and synthetic.
Source: depositphotos.com
Paints are highly toxic due to their constituent compounds of heavy metals, the so-called metal poisons (arsenic, zinc, lead, copper), or organic compounds. Toxic components that make up paints and varnishes most often adversely affect the skin, respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract.
After drying, all paints lose their toxic properties.
How does paint vapor poisoning occur?
Solvents (toluene, dimethyl ketone, butanol, butyl acetate, etc.) are the most dangerous paint components. Possessing high volatility, they have a local irritating effect on the skin, mucous membrane of the eyes, nasopharynx and oropharynx. Penetrating into the respiratory tract, and then into the lungs, these substances can cause a number of acute respiratory diseases, a relapse of chronic pathology or an allergic reaction in persons with a predisposition. Toluene is able to penetrate not only through the respiratory organs, but also through intact skin, causing damage to the central nervous system of varying severity, including irreversible ones.
Once in the body in large quantities, solvents cause acute general intoxication.
The maximum permissible concentration, which characterizes the degree of hazardousness of the solvent, is individual for each chemical.
Most often, paint vapor poisoning occurs during painting:
- painting of large surfaces;
- working with paints in a room where there is no adequate ventilation;
- painting work in a room with a high temperature, when there is an increased evaporation of solvents;
- work without personal protective equipment (respirator, gloves);
- the use of low-quality material with an excessively high content of heavy metals, solvents;
- independent dilution with solvents of paints that have lost their performance characteristics.
You can suffer not only from volatile compounds when working with fresh paints, but also when scraping off old paintwork, burning painted decorative elements.
Poisoning symptoms
Intoxication when interacting with paints can be both acute and chronic.
Signs of acute poisoning with paint vapors are:
- cyanosis (blue discoloration of the skin);
- nausea, vomiting;
- confusion, stunning;
- severe general weakness;
- dizziness, intense headache;
- sneezing, dry hacking cough;
- lacrimation, discharge from the nose (rhinorrhea);
- sore throat, nasopharynx;
- feeling of a foreign body and burning sensation in the eyes;
- noise in ears.
Common symptoms can be supplemented by signs of poisoning with a particular solvent used in the paint composition. So, when poisoning with vapors of dimethyl ketone (acetone), a lesion of the nervous system occurs, the clinic of which is similar to the clinic of intoxication. Intoxication with vapors of butyl acetate is characterized by intense burning of the nasopharynx, mouth, eyes.
With chronic intoxication, which is more likely to affect people who are in daily contact with paints and varnishes, symptoms of poisoning appear gradually over a long time:
- deterioration in general health, decreased mood;
- digestive disorders (nausea, heartburn, belching, bloating, stool disturbances, lack of appetite);
- burning, itching in the eyes, conjunctival hyperemia;
- sleep disorders (insomnia, interrupted sleep, nightmares);
- persistent, unproductive cough.
Source: depositphotos.com
First aid for poisoning with paint vapors
At the first symptoms of acute poisoning with paint vapors, it is necessary:
- evacuate the victim from the place of exposure to toxins;
- provide an influx of fresh air (open windows, doors, unbutton tight clothes);
- give an abundant alkaline drink (milk, mineral water);
- if paint or solvent gets on the skin, wash it off immediately with plenty of water.
In case of chronic poisoning, first aid measures are ineffective, qualified medical assistance is required.
When is medical attention required?
In case of poisoning with paint vapors, medical help should be sought from a toxicologist in 100% of cases. As a rule, the victims are hospitalized. Treatment is carried out in the toxicology department, consists in carrying out detoxification and symptomatic therapy aimed at maintaining the functions of the affected systems and alleviating the patient's condition.
Possible consequences
Complications of intoxication with paint vapors can be:
- conjunctivitis;
- rhinitis, rhinopharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, tracheobronchitis, pneumonitis;
- chronic renal failure;
- chronic gastritis, gastoduodenitis;
- hepatitis;
- lesions of the nervous system (tremors, convulsions, hallucinations, intense headaches).
Prevention
You can prevent paint poisoning if you follow a number of requirements:
- work in overalls that cover all parts of the body;
- in case of contact with paints and varnishes on the skin and mucous membranes, immediately rinse with plenty of running water;
- work only with the use of personal protective equipment (glasses, respirator, gloves);
- in the room where the work is being carried out, ensure effective ventilation;
- when working with paint for a long time, take regular breaks during which to breathe fresh air.
The safest are acrylic paints, since they do not contain solvents and dry quickly. An alternative to acrylic dyes are water-based dyes, which do not have a pungent odor and are not susceptible to moisture.
YouTube video related to the article:
Olesya Smolnyakova Therapy, clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapy About the author
Education: higher, 2004 (GOU VPO "Kursk State Medical University"), specialty "General Medicine", qualification "Doctor". 2008-2012 - Postgraduate student of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, KSMU, Candidate of Medical Sciences (2013, specialty "Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology"). 2014-2015 - professional retraining, specialty "Management in education", FSBEI HPE "KSU".
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
