Phenol and formaldehyde poisoning has become more common in the modern world. This fact is explained by the fact that these compounds are used in the light, chemical, food and pharmacological industries. Intoxication caused by this substance leads to the death of a person. The symptoms of phenol poisoning and first aid are by no means rhetorical issues. It must be firmly understood that the information presented below can really save a person’s life.
Phenol Characterization
Phenol in industry is a pinkish granule with a faint gouache smell. In chemistry, phenol is called carbolic acid. Its properties are close to alcohols, because even its formula, C 6 H 5 OH, is very similar to the formula of alcohol - C 2 H 5 OH. It is well dissolved in alkali, oil and water. When dissolved, it evaporates quickly, preserving toxic properties.
Where applicable
Being a universal substance for almost any sphere of human activity, phenol is used by a variety of industries. It is added to chipboards, later used in construction and in the manufacture of furniture.
Phenol is found in pharmacology, the food industry, it is used in the manufacture of household chemicals, namely cleaning products. Plastic, plastic, paint and even preservatives are made from it.
The action of phenol on the body
Phenol enters the human body through the respiratory tract, through the skin, mucous membrane of the eyes and nose. The penetration of the substance occurs in a split second, the contact causes severe pain and burns. Such symptoms of phenol poisoning often cause pain shock and respiratory arrest in humans.
Once in the blood, phenol in 1-2 minutes penetrates the brain cells, destroying them. This is due to the fact that the substance acts destructively on the proteins inside the cells, as a result of which they die.
Another manifestation of the work of phenol in cuts is hemolysis. The result of this effect is a blockage of the tubules in the kidneys. This, in turn, causes a disruption in their work.
To receive a lethal dose, children need only 0.5 grams of pure substance, and adults - no more than 2 g.
Causes of poisoning
The main cause of phenol poisoning is careless handling of it in everyday life and at work. For example, by inhalation of vapors of paint, varnish or glue.
Another reason is an overdose of drugs containing phenol, out of ignorance or intentionally.
Often victims of phenol poisoning are children left unattended by adults. A child may drink a cleaning agent or nail polish, smear with paint, and so on.
But it happens that phenol exceeds the permissible content in children's toys, and the poison enters the child’s body through the skin or mucous membrane of the mouth, since children like to chew on toys.
You can poison yourself with phenol by breathing in the stale air in an enclosed room, laden with new furniture from particleboard.
How does phenol poisoning manifest itself?
A dangerous dose of phenol is manifested by characteristic signs, which you simply need to know:
- In places of contact with poison of dangerous concentration, ulcers and swelling very quickly arise. This can occur with the skin and mucous membrane of a person’s mouth.
- The victim experiences severe weakness throughout the body, dizziness. Possible loss of consciousness.
- Symptoms of phenol poisoning in the stomach include nausea and brown vomiting.
- Human skin after poisoning sharply turns pale.
- There is an upset stomach.
- Signs of phenol poisoning are manifested in the human breath - it becomes more frequent, suffocation occurs.
- If the poison was in the body with food, then the person experiences severe pain in the abdomen.
- Blood pressure drops sharply.
- Tachycardia and heart rhythm disturbance are observed.
- With severe poisoning, a person begins cramps.
If chronic poisoning with small doses of phenol takes place, then the person’s psyche is disturbed, he becomes irritable, his sleep is disturbed and his head often hurts. Symptoms of phenol and formaldehyde poisoning in small volumes are apathy and chronic weakness.
Also, with chronic phenol poisoning, symptoms such as anorexia, excessive salivation, dark urine, and an enlarged liver appear.
Emergency help
Symptoms of phenol vapor poisoning usually appear fairly quickly, but you do not need to wait for them specifically. If it became clear that a person is poisoned, he must be helped immediately after poisoning.
First of all, you need to ensure the delivery of the victim to the doctor. But before this, a number of measures can be taken to facilitate intoxication:
- It is necessary to ensure the flow of fresh air to the patient.
- You can pour 2 tbsp. tablespoons of soda in 1 liter of boiling water and allow the victim to inhale the vapor of this solution. This method is called alkaline inhalation.
- In case of penetration of the poison through the skin, it is necessary to rinse this place with good pressure water.
- If the poison enters the stomach, it is dangerous to induce vomiting, as the toxin can damage the esophagus and the walls of the stomach. It is necessary to give the patient an absorbent that can absorb a toxic substance. This is usually activated charcoal from any pharmacy. The drug should be given at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of human weight.
All these measures will allow the patient to hold out until the arrival of an ambulance and a doctor.
Health care
Professional medical assistance to the victim of phenol poisoning is provided by the ambulance team or upon arrival at the hospital.
First of all, the patient is given an antidote, which is a solution of calcium gluconate. If the patient has a severe lung injury, then it is connected to an artificial respiration apparatus.
To cleanse the blood of poison, the patient undergoes special therapy. It includes the use of Neocompensan, Hemodez, or Reasorbilact.
If the symptoms of phenol poisoning in a person are extremely severe - convulsions, loss of consciousness, suffocation, then a blood transfusion is urgently performed.
Only after cleaning the body of the poison begins the treatment of those organs that managed to suffer. These are usually the kidneys and liver; they need to be washed with appropriate medications and adhere to a diet. Nerve fibers in the body and in the central nervous system recover much longer, and only as a result of special therapy.
The effects of phenol poisoning
The consequences of phenol poisoning depend on how severe it was, on the size of the dose of poison that was taken by the victim, and its general condition at the time of poisoning. Also important is the fact of first aid for phenol poisoning and the timeliness of treatment initiation.
With mild poisoning, the sleep and mental state of a person is disturbed. He becomes irritable and abrupt. With moderate poisoning, irreversible changes in the liver and kidneys can occur, causing chronic liver and kidney failure. With severe poisoning, the death of the victim occurs.
Who heals
Symptoms and treatment of phenol poisoning is the concern of a toxicologist. Especially if a person was hospitalized with severe poisoning, accompanied by loss of consciousness, convulsions and suffocation. In this case, the patient is placed in a toxicological department with round-the-clock monitoring of his condition.
In the chronic form of poisoning, the therapist may be involved in treatment. After all, it is he who most often detects poisoning by indirect symptoms, which is necessarily confirmed by analyzes. Usually an excess of carbolic acid is determined by analysis of urine. So it turns out that the patient turns to the therapist with complaints of weakness, diarrhea and other ailments, and eventually gets a diagnosis of chronic phenol poisoning.
Mass poisoning
In recent history there is an example of mass phenol poisoning. The reason for this was immediately two circumstances - a low informative awareness of the population and city authorities about the toxic properties of this substance and negligence of builders.
From 1970 to 1980, experimental concrete with phenol formaldehyde was used in a series of P-49 / P houses. This allowed him to harden faster. In addition, the insulation for these houses was glass wool impregnated with phenol-formaldehyde. Due to poor-quality assembly and errors in the design, these houses cracked at the joints during operation, and toxic substances penetrated the dwellings. In addition, the walls themselves have evaporated poison for many years. These facts were discovered only after 1990, which caused public outrage.
It is impossible to accurately calculate how many people over the years of operation of houses of this type received phenol poisoning and the pathologies that followed it, how many of them did not live to old age, and how many cancer diseases earned.
Poison Prevention
Phenol poisoning treatment is a long and expensive therapy aimed at restoring poison-damaged organs - the liver, kidneys, nervous and vascular systems.
Prevention methods against poisoning with toxic substances:
- In a phenol-based manufacturing facility, protective equipment such as denim overalls, respirators, goggles, and gloves must be used.
- Eating in rooms where phenol is produced or used is strictly prohibited. For this, there are separate rooms with good ventilation.
- In apartments, phenol-containing products must be stored in places inaccessible to children - locked cabinets or drawers.
- To work with household chemicals containing poisons, you need to use rubber gloves and safety glasses.
- When working with household chemicals, windows should be kept open.
- To prevent the acquisition of a chronic form of poisoning, you must regularly check with your doctor - at least 1 time per year. If toxic elements are detected in the analyzes, it is necessary to establish the source of poisoning.
- If there is a suspicion that the house in which the victim lives contains phenol, it is necessary to contact the Environmental Protection Agency or the Ministry of Emergencies in order to check the concentration of poison in the air.
Conclusion
Phenol firmly entered the life of man, in all spheres of his activity. And it is completely impossible to refuse him. This, in principle, is not necessary. It is only necessary to remember the danger that he poses and treat him accordingly - observing safety precautions.
In the end, people learned to live near electricity, fire, cars and other benefits of civilization. The same thing must be done with phenol - do not be afraid of it, but be able to properly protect yourself and your children from its harmful effects.