II. Pathophysiology
- Styrene monomer
- Aromatic industrial solvent used to manufacture polystyrene, resins and Rubber
- Colorless, volatile, oily liquid with sweet smell
- Exposures
- Occupational exposures and transportation spill accidents
- Exposure is primarily inhalational or dermal
- Toxicity
- Neurotoxicity
- Due to metabolite Styrene Oxide
- Dopamine depletion
- Hepatotoxicity
- Due to metabolite Styrene Oxide
- Skin Injury
- Skin irritation and dermal defatting
- Neurotoxicity
III. Pharmacokinetics
- Hepatic metabolism to Styrene Oxide (an epoxide)
- Half-Life: 8 to 9 hours in blood (days in fatty tissue)
- OSHA Legal Airborne permissible exposure limit: 100 ppm averaged over 8 hour work shift
- Neurotoxicity threshold >300 ppm
- Lethal threshold >2500 ppm
IV. Symptoms
- Skin and mucous membranes (including eyes)
- Irritation
- Gastrointestinal (large ingestion)
- Respiratory (inhalational injury)
- Bronchospasm
- Pulmonary Edema
- Neurologic (>300 ppm)
- Headache
- Ataxia
- CNS depression
- Autonomic Nervous System dysfunction
- Peripheral Neuropathy (Polyneuropathy)
V. Labs
- See Unknown Ingestion
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
VI. Imaging
VII. Management
-
Decontamination
- See Decontamination After Toxin Exposure
- Remove contaminated clothing
- Wash skin with soap and water
- Activated Charcoal in recent ingestion
- Supportive Care
- Supplemental Oxygen as needed
- Bronchodilators as needed
VIII. References
- Tomaszewski (2023) Crit Dec Emerg Med 37(10): 32
- Leibman (1975) Environ Health Perspect 11:115-9 +PMID: 809262 [PubMed]
- Pahwa (1993) Vet Hum Toxicol 35(6):516-20 +PMID: 7980742 [PubMed]