This Public Health Statement is the summary chapter from the Toxicological Profile for Styrene. It is one in a series of Public Health Statements about hazardous substances and their health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQsTM, is also available. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.June 2012

United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

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P U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 2012This Public Health Statement is the summary chapter from the Toxicological Profile for Styrene.It is one in a series of Public Health Statements about hazardous substances and their health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQs™, is also available. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects o f exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present. For more information, call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-800-232-4636.This public health statement tells you about styrene and the effects of exposure to it.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies the most serious hazardous waste sites in the nation. These sites are then placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) and are targeted for long-term federal clean-up activities. Styrene has been found in at least 251 o f the 1,699 current or former NPL sites. Although the total number o f NPL sites evaluated for this substance is not known, the possibility exists that the number of sites at which styrene is found may increase in the future as more sites are evaluated. This information is important because these sites may be sources o f exposure and exposure to this substance may harm you.W hen a substance is released either from a large area, such as an industrial plant, or from a container, such as a drum or bottle, it enters the environment. Such a release does not always lead to exposure. You can be exposed to a substance only when you come in contact with it. You may be exposed by breathing, eating, or drinking the substance, or by skin contact.If you are exposed to styrene, many factors will determine whether you will be harmed. These factors include the dose (how much), the duration (how long), and how you come in contact with it. You must also consider any other chemicals you are exposed to and your age, sex, diet, family traits, lifestyle, and state of health.DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-8GG-232-4636 Fax: 77G-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govP U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 20121.1 W HAT IS ST Y R E N E ?D esc rip tio n Styrene is a colorless liquid that evaporates easily .In its pure form, styrene has a sw eet sm ell. Manufactured styrene may contain aldehydes, which give it a sharp , unpleasant odor.U se s• m an u factu rin g• c o n su m e r p ro d u ctsLarge amounts of styrene are produced in the United S tates. Sm all amounts are produced naturally by plants, bacteria, and fungi. Styrene is also present in combustion products such as cigarette sm oke and automobile exhaust.Styrene is w idely used to make plastics and rubber. Consum er products containing styrene include:• packaging materials• insulation for electrical uses (i.e ., wiring and appliances)• insulation for homes and other buildings• fiberglass, plastic pipes, automobile parts• drinking cups and other "food-use" items• carpet backingTh ese  products mainly contain styrene linked together in long chains (polystyrene). However, most of these products also contain a sm all amount of unlinked styrene.1.2 W HAT H A PPE N S TO STY REN E W HEN IT EN TER S THE ENVIRONM ENT?S o u rc e s Styrene can be found in air, soil, and w ater after re lease from the manufacture, use, and d isposal of styrene-based products.B re a k  dow n• A ir• W ate r and  so ilStyrene is quickly broken down in the air, usually within 1-2  days.Styrene evaporates from shallow  so ils and surface water. Styrene that rem ains in soil or w ater may be broken down by bacteria or other microorganism s.DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health ServiceAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-800-232-4636 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govP U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 20121.3 HOW  MIGHT I BE EX PO SED  TO ST Y R E N E ?A ir The primary w ay you can be exposed to styrene is by breathing air containing it. R e le a se s  of styrene into the air occur from:• industries using or manufacturing styrene• automobile exhaust• cigarette sm oke, and• use of photocopiersRural or suburban air generally contains lower concentrations of styrene than urban air. Indoor air often contains higher levels of styrene than outdoor air.• 0 .0 6 -4 .6  parts per billion (ppb) in outdoor air• 0 .0 7 -1 1 .5  ppb in indoor airW ate r and  so il Styrene is occasionally detected in groundwater, drinking water, or soil sam ples. Drinking w ater containing styrene or bathing in w ater containing styrene may expose you to low levels of this chem ical.W o rkp la ce  a ir A  large number of workers are potentially exposed to styrene. The highest potential exposure occurs in the reinforced-plastics industry, where workers may be exposed to high air concentrations and also have dermal exposure to liquid styrene or resins.W orkers involved in styrene polymerization, rubber manufacturing, and styrene-polyester resin facilities and workers at photocopy centers may also be exposed to styrene.Food Low levels of styrene occur naturally in a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetab les, nuts, beverages, and m eats. Sm all amounts of styrene can be transferred to food from styrene-based packaging material.DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health ServiceAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-800-232-4636 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govP U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 20121.4  HOW  CAN STY REN E EN TER AND LEAVE MY B O D Y ?E n te r  yo u r body• Inha la tion• Ing estio n• D erm al co n tac tWhen you breathe air containing styrene, most of the styrene will rapidly enter your body through your lungs.Styrene in food or w ater may also rapidly enter your body through the digestive tract.A  very sm all amount may enter through your skin when you come into contact with liquids containing styrene.L e a v e  y o u r body Once in your body, styrene is broken down into other chem icals . Most of these other chem icals leave your body in the urine within few days.1.5 HOW  CAN STY REN E A FFE C T  MY HEALTH?This section looks at studies concerning potential health effects in animal and human studies.W o rke rs  • Inha la tion The most common health problems in workers exposed to styrene involve the nervous system . Th ese  health effects include changes in color vision, tiredness, feeling drunk, slowed reaction time, concentration problems, and balance problems.The styrene concentrations that cause  these effects are more than 1,000 tim es higher than the levels normally found in the environment.La b o ra to ry  a n im a ls  • Inha la tion Hearing loss has been observed in anim als exposed to very high concentrations of styrene.Anim al studies have shown that inhalation of styrene can result in changes in the lining of the nose and dam age to the liver. However, anim als may be more sensitive than hum ans to the nose and liver effects.DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health ServiceAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-800-232-4636 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govP U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 2012La b o ra to ry  a n im a ls  • O ra l Impaired learning has been observed in rats exposed to high doses of styrene.Sperm  dam age has also been observed in rats exposed to high doses of styrene.C a n c e r The Department of Health and Human Se rv ice s (D H H S), National Toxicology Program (N TP ) listed styrene as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" in the Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth Edition, released on June  10, 2011.The International Agency for Research  on C a n ce r (IA R C ) has determined that styrene is a possible carcinogen.1.6 HOW  CAN STY REN E A FFE C T  CH ILD REN ?This section discusses potential health effects in humans from exposures during the period from conception to maturity at 18 years of age.E ffe c ts  in ch ild ren There are no studies evaluating the effects of styrene exposure on children or immature anim als. It is likely that children would have the sam e health effects as  adults. W e do not know whether children would be more sensitive than adults to the effects of styrene.B irth  d e fe c ts Stud ies in workers have exam ined whether styrene can cause  birth defects or low birth weight; however, the results are inconclusive. No birth defects w ere observed in animal studies.B re a s t  m ilk Nursing infants can be exposed to styrene from breast milk.1.7 HOW  CAN FAMILIES REDU CE THE RISK O F E X PO SU R E  TO ST Y R E N E ?T o b a cco  sm o ke Styrene is a component of tobacco sm oke. Avoid smoking in enclosed sp aces like inside the home or ca r in order to limit exposure to children and other family m em bers.DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health ServiceAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-8GG-232-4636 Fax: 77G-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govP U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 2012C o p ie r Styrene is re leased during the use of home copiers. Fam ilies should use a copier only when needed and turn it off when finished. It is also important to keep the room with the copier well ventilated.1.8 IS TH ERE A MEDICAL T E ST  TO DETERMINE W H ETH ER I HAVE BEEN E X PO SED  TO ST Y R E N E ?D etectinge xp o su reStyrene can be m easured in blood, urine, and body tissues for a short time following exposure to moderate-to-high levels.M easuringe xp o su reThe presence of styrene breakdown products (m etabolites) in urine might indicate that you were exposed to styrene; however, these metabolites can also form when you are exposed to other substances.M easuring styrene metabolites in urine within 1 day of exposure allows medical personnel to estimate actual exposure level.The detection of these metabolites in your urine cannot be used to predict the kind of health effects that might develop from that exposure.1.9 W HAT RECOM M ENDATIONS HAS THE FED ERA L GOVERNM EN T MADE TO P R O T E C T  HUMAN H EALTH ?The federal government develops regulations and recommendations to protect public health. Regulations can be enforced by law. The EPA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are some federal agencies that develop regulations for toxic substances. Recommendations provide valuable guidelines to protect public health, but cannot be enforced by law. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are two federal organizations that develop recommendations for toxic substances.DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health ServiceAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-800-232-4636 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govP U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 2012Regulations and recommendations can be expressed as “not-to-exceed” levels. These are levels of a toxic substance in air, water, soil, or food that do not exceed a critical value. This critical value is usually based on levels that affect animals; they are then adjusted to levels that will help protect humans. Sometimes these not-to-exceed levels differ among federal organizations because they used different exposure times (an 8-hour workday or a 24-hour day), different animal studies, or other factors.Recommendations and regulations are also updated periodically as more information becomes available. For the most current information, check with the federal agency or organization that provides it.Some regulations and recommendations for styrene include the following:D rin k in g  w a te r The E P A  has determined that exposure to styrene in drinking w ater at concentrations of 20 mg/L for 1 day or 2 mg/L for 10 days is not expected to cause  any adverse effects in a child.The  E P A  has determined that lifetime exposure to 0.1 mg/L styrene in drinking w ater is not expected to cause  any adverse  effects.Bo ttled  w a te r The FD A  has determined that the styrene concentration in bottled drinking w ater should not exceed 0.1 mg/L.W o rkp la ce  a ir O SH A  set a legal limit of 100 ppm styrene in a ir averaged over an 8-hour work day.1.10 W H ER E CAN I G ET M ORE INFORM ATION?If you have any more questions or concerns, please contact your community or state health or environmental quality department, or contact ATSDR at the address and phone number below.DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health ServiceAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-800-232-4636 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govP U B L IC  H E A L T H  S T A T E M E N TS ty re n eDivision of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed) June 2012ATSDR can also tell you the location o f occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses that result from exposure to hazardous substances.Toxicological profiles are also available on-line at www.atsdr.cdc.gov and on CD-ROM. You may request a copy o f the ATSDR ToxProfiles™  CD-ROM by calling the toll-free information and technical assistance number at 1-800-CDCINFO (1-800-232-4636), by e-mail at cdcinfo@ cdc.gov, or by writing to:Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Division o f Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (proposed)1600 Clifton Road NE M ailstop F-62 Atlanta, GA 30333 Fax: 1-770-488-4178Organizations for-profit may request copies o f final Toxicological Profiles from the following:National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Phone: 1-800-553-6847 or 1-703-605-6000 Web site: http://www.ntis.gov/DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health ServiceAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrywww.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-8GG-232-4636 Fax: 77G-488-4178 E-Mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

Styrene

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Styrene

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