Styrene and its health, environmental impacts
Some residents of Whitewater Township, Ohio were ordered to evacuate their homes on Sept. 24, 2024 after a leak of the chemical styrene.
The leak came from a rail car in the area of U.S. 50 and S.R. 128.
Styrene is a common industrial chemical. It's used in fiberglass and rubber. When it's in its gas form, experts say it can be difficult to contain. It also can be dangerous to humans.
Glenn Talaska, PhD, professor emeritus in the Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said if people are exposed to styrene, it can cause "narcotic-like symptoms."
Those symptoms can be similar to what it's like to be intoxicated from alcohol. Additionally, styrene exposure can lead to headaches, nausea and respiratory issues.
"That effect is reversible as you breathe out the styrene. When exposure goes down, those effects will go away, much like it goes away for alcohol," Talaska told WKRC-TV.
Jun Wang, PhD, program director and associate professor of environmental and industrial hygiene in the Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, shared his expertise on WLWT-TV and WCPO-TV.
"You will feel dizzy, you'll feel like some sort of drunken use, and it attacks your nervous system, which is your brain," said Wang.
He said styrene can cause irritation to the eyes and nose.
Wang said vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, the elderly and those with respiratory issues, are advised to talk to a doctor if they have been exposed.
Talaska also said there are ways to monitor a person's exposure. Those exposed would have traces of it in their urine for a period of time, which would help doctors pinpoint how high the levels were in a person's system.
Featured image at top: Stock image of line of train cars in rail yard. Photo: istock/madsci
Latest UC News
- Knowledge Nexus aims to empower new faculty with research capabilitiesKnowledge Nexus is a series of workshops—presented in partnership with the University of Cincinnati's Associate Dean of Education Innovations and Community Partnerships and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (Dean’s Office, CECH)—that outline common intricacies of research development at CECH and UC, which, as an R1 institution, absolutely values research activity.
- In the News: Local and national stories spotlight CCM faculty, alumni and studentsRead media coverage of UC's College-Conservatory of Music, featuring reviews and stories about CCM faculty, alumni and students! Highlights are below:
- Posteriors: Sitters’ Backs in 19th-Century PhotographsIn conjunction with the FotoFocus biennial celebration, a photography exhibit — Posteriors: Sitters’ Backs in 19th-Century Photographs — is now on display at the College of Design Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). The exhibit runs through Nov. 2.
- How to use monoclonal antibodies for migraine in primary careThe University of Cincinnati's Vincent Martin told Medscape that every primary care clinician should know about monoclonal antibodies for preventing migraines that are changing the lives of patients.
- LGBTQ couples in South Korea enjoy a rare legal win for health benefitsRyan Thoreson, an assistant professor in the University of Cincinnati College of Law., spoke with The Wall Street Journal about South Korea's high court granting legal protections for same-sex couples seeking health benefits.
- This UC student’s love of criminal justice led her to study in ScotlandGaby Ramos, a student in the University of Cincinnati's Criminal Justice program (part of the College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology), has plans to become a criminal attorney in the future and recently took her passion for criminal justice overseas with a study abroad trip to Scotland.