Industrial containing hexane

The United States produces hundreds of millions of pounds of hexane in the form of solvents every year. It is used as a cleaning agent in printing, shoe making, textile, automotive brake repair, and furniture manufacturing. It is also used in the food industry.

Products containing hexane molecular weight

Common household products, such as spray adhesives, contact cement, handicraft coatings and detergents, contain hexane. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Household Products Database lists 54 consumer products containing hexane. Half of these products also contain solvents, which can increase the severity of hexane nerve damage. Although most of the products on this list containing hexane are used at home, especially for home maintenance, handicrafts and automotive products also contain it.

Exposure and health risks

Hexane is prone to evaporation, so breathing contaminated air during the manufacturing and use of this chemical is the most common form of exposure. When solvents are released into the surrounding air, people living near workplaces that produce or use hexane or hazardous waste sites containing hexane may be exposed. Anyone may come into contact with hexane when using many household products containing hexane. Workers using products containing hexane may be exposed to levels that can cause nerve damage without proper ventilation and protective equipment.

Short term exposure can affect the central nervous system (brain) and may lead to headaches, dizziness, mental confusion, nausea, clumsiness, drowsiness, and other symptoms similar to poisoning. If the exposure is high and occurs frequently within months or years, the impact on the brain may be long-lasting or even permanent. High levels of exposure are associated with a medical condition called peripheral neuropathy - symptoms include numbness and tingling in the feet and legs, followed by hand pain. The perception of touch, pain, vibration, and temperature may also decrease. Muscles may become weak. In severe cases, muscles may atrophy or atrophy, and paralysis may occur. When combined with other solvents such as acetone or methyl ethyl ketone, hexane related nerve damage increases.

How is hexane currently named and regulated

Congress explicitly listed hexane as a harmful air pollutant in the Clean Air Act and regulated it by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Limited steps have been taken to address the issue of exposure to hexane, including controlling outdoor air emissions, (weaker) limiting workplace exposure, and some disclosure requirements for environmental releases.

The California Air National Resources Commission has designated hexane as a toxic air pollutant.
The California Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency have determined similar 'safe' exposure levels for inhaling hexane based on their impact on chronic health.

The California Department of Public Health has released a health hazard consultation, warning California car repair workers to pay attention to hexane nerve damage. The department also issued diagnostic and treatment guidelines for hexane related peripheral neuropathy for doctors. However, as the institution does not have regulatory authority, no additional action can be taken.