MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Toluene/xylene

Skip navigation


Medical Encyclopedia
Other encyclopedia topics:	A-Ag Ah-Ap Aq-Az B-Bk Bl-Bz C-Cg Ch-Co Cp-Cz D-Di Dj-Dz E-Ep Eq-Ez F G H-Hf Hg-Hz I-In Io-Iz J K L-Ln Lo-Lz M-Mf Mg-Mz N O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q R S-Sh Si-Sp Sq-Sz T-Tn To-Tz U V W X Y Z 0-9

Toluene/xylene

Contents of this page:
Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms Home Treatment	Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Definition

Toluene and xylene are industrial chemicals found in various solvents or other chemicals used in industry or in laboratories. They are extremely toxic, but exposure outside of industrial environments is rare.

Poisonous Ingredient

toluene
xylene

Where Found

solvents in many rubber and plastic cements

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

body as a whole
respiratory
- rapid, shallow breathing
- chemical pneumonia
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- blurred vision
- burning pain and damage if exposed
skin
- pale
- dry and cracked if exposed
gastrointestinal
- nausea and/or vomiting
- loss of appetite
heart and blood vessels
- irregular heartbeat
nervous system
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- nervousness
- unconsciousness
- euphoria (exaggerated feeling of well-being)
- headache

Home Treatment

Seek emergency medical care immediately. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING!

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
the name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
the time it was swallowed
the amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

For swallowed poison
- Immediate hemodialysis may be required for survival
- Placement of a tube down the nose and into the stomach (a nasogastric tube, or an NG tube) to wash out the stomach
- Activated charcoal administration
- Endoscopy -- the placement of a camera down the throat to see the extent of burns to the esophagus and the stomach
- Give IV fluids
- Admission to the hospital
- Give an antidote
- Treat the symptoms
For inhaled poisons
- A breathing tube may need to be inserted
- Oxygen
- Admission to the hospital or to the intensive care unit
- Bronchoscopy (inserting a camera down the throat into the airway to evaluate the extent of burns to the airway and lungs)
For skin exposure
- Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
- Skin debridement (surgical removal of burned skin)
- Admission or transfer to a hospital that specializes in burn care

Expectations (prognosis)

These chemicals are extremely toxic. Recovery and survival depend on the amount of exposure and time to treatment. Seek emergency medical care immediately.

Update Date: 4/16/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.