This page summarizes the health effects of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide exposure effects ...
Public Lab is an open community which collaboratively develops accessible, open source, Do-It-Yourself technologies for investigating local environmental health and justice issues.
| 6 CURRENT | warren |
December 01, 2017 22:35
| about 7 years ago
This page summarizes the health effects of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide exposure effectsHydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly flammable gas that can negatively affect humans and animals. At low concentrations (~10 ppb), hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, but at higher concentrations, hydrogen sulfide is odorless, in part due to olfactory fatigue which can occur around 100 ppm (cite: AEGL vol. 9). Exposure to low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (<10 ppm) can result in headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath, eye irritation, throat irritation, watery eyes, and sensitivity to light. Exposure to moderately higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can induce asthma-like symptoms and mild pulmonary disease. At higher concentrations, ~100 ppm, hydrogen sulfide can be a neurotoxin, impairing vision, motor skills, and memory. The concentration at which hydrogen sulfide is deemed immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) is 100 ppm (cite: AEGL, OSHA). At concentrations exceeding 500 ppm, short term exposure to hydrogen sulfide can be lethal. There is very little data about the health effects of chronic exposure to hydrogen sulfide, and due to the very steep exacerbation of health effects with increasing concentrations above 10 ppm, and some data demonstrating biological consequences at just 1 ppm exposure, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using large margins for safety in exposure guidelines. The WHO exposure guidelines are 0.1 ppm for 24-hour exposure (WHO, 2000). Resources:
Hydrogen sulfide exposure in the newsThere have been several instances, even in recent years, of people suffering significant health effects due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Some of these instances include:
Further informationExposure limits from various sources, from an Airgas Materials Safety Data Sheet: Information about hydrogen sulfide toxicity can be found here: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10408448409029321 (which is behind a paywall). QuestionsPost and answer questions about the health effects of hydrogen sulfide here: [questions:hydrogen-sulfide-effects,hydrogen-sulfide,h2s] Additional resources(to be integrated into this page) https://publiclab.org/notes/sara/9-11-2011/hydrogen-sulfide-information-gas |
Revert | |
| 5 | gretchengehrke |
October 19, 2017 19:26
| about 7 years ago
This page summarizes the health effects of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide exposure effectsHydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly flammable gas that can negatively affect humans and animals. At low concentrations (~10 ppb), hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, but at higher concentrations, hydrogen sulfide is odorless, in part due to olfactory fatigue which can occur around 100 ppm (cite: AEGL vol. 9). Exposure to low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (<10 ppm) can result in headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath, eye irritation, throat irritation, watery eyes, and sensitivity to light. Exposure to moderately higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can induce asthma-like symptoms and mild pulmonary disease. At higher concentrations, ~100 ppm, hydrogen sulfide can be a neurotoxin, impairing vision, motor skills, and memory. The concentration at which hydrogen sulfide is deemed immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) is 100 ppm (cite: AEGL, OSHA). At concentrations exceeding 500 ppm, short term exposure to hydrogen sulfide can be lethal. There is very little data about the health effects of chronic exposure to hydrogen sulfide, and due to the very steep exacerbation of health effects with increasing concentrations above 10 ppm, and some data demonstrating biological consequences at just 1 ppm exposure, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using large margins for safety in exposure guidelines. The WHO exposure guidelines are 0.1 ppm for 24-hour exposure (WHO, 2000). Resources:
Hydrogen sulfide exposure in the newsThere have been several instances, even in recent years, of people suffering significant health effects due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Some of these instances include:
Further informationExposure limits from various sources, from an Airgas Materials Safety Data Sheet: Information about hydrogen sulfide toxicity can be found here: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10408448409029321 (which is behind a paywall). QuestionsPost and answer questions about the health effects of hydrogen sulfide here: [questions:hydrogen-sulfide-effects,hydrogen-sulfide,h2s] |
Revert | |
| 4 | gretchengehrke |
September 27, 2017 19:35
| about 7 years ago
This page summarizes the health effects of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide exposure effectsHydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly flammable gas that can negatively affect humans and animals. At low concentrations (~10 ppb), hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, but at higher concentrations, hydrogen sulfide is odorless, in part due to olfactory fatigue which can occur around 100 ppm (cite: AEGL vol. 9). Exposure to low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (<10 ppm) can result in headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath, eye irritation, throat irritation, watery eyes, and sensitivity to light. Exposure to moderately higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can induce asthma-like symptoms and mild pulmonary disease. At higher concentrations, ~100 ppm, hydrogen sulfide can be a neurotoxin, impairing vision, motor skills, and memory. The concentration at which hydrogen sulfide is deemed immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) is 100 ppm (cite: AEGL, OSHA). At concentrations exceeding 500 ppm, short term exposure to hydrogen sulfide can be lethal. There is very little data about the health effects of chronic exposure to hydrogen sulfide, and due to the very steep exacerbation of health effects with increasing concentrations above 10 ppm, and some data demonstrating biological consequences at just 1 ppm exposure, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using large margins for safety in exposure guidelines. The WHO exposure guidelines are 0.1 ppm for 24-hour exposure (WHO, 2000). Resources:
Hydrogen sulfide exposure in the newsThere have been several instances, even in recent years, of people suffering significant health effects due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Some of these instances include:
Further informationExposure limits from various sources, from an Airgas Materials Safety Data Sheet: Information about hydrogen sulfide toxicity can be found here: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10408448409029321 (which is behind a paywall). QuestionsPost and answer questions about the health effects of hydrogen sulfide here: [questions:hydrogen-sulfide-effects,hydrogen-sulfide,h2s] |
Revert | |
| 3 | gretchengehrke |
September 27, 2017 19:33
| about 7 years ago
This page summarizes the health effects of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide exposure effectsHydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly flammable gas that can negatively affect humans and animals. At low concentrations (~10 ppb), hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, but at higher concentrations, hydrogen sulfide is odorless, in part due to olfactory fatigue which can occur around 100 ppm (cite: AEGL vol. 9). Exposure to low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (<10 ppm) can result in headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath, eye irritation, throat irritation, watery eyes, and sensitivity to light. Exposure to moderately higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can induce asthma-like symptoms and mild pulmonary disease. At higher concentrations, ~100 ppm, hydrogen sulfide can be a neurotoxin, impairing vision, motor skills, and memory. The concentration at which hydrogen sulfide is deemed immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) is 100 ppm (cite: AEGL, OSHA). At concentrations exceeding 500 ppm, short term exposure to hydrogen sulfide can be lethal. There is very little data about the health effects of chronic exposure to hydrogen sulfide, and due to the very steep exacerbation of health effects with increasing concentrations above 10 ppm, and some data demonstrating biological consequences at just 1 ppm exposure, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using large margins for safety in exposure guidelines. The WHO exposure guidelines are 0.1 ppm for 24-hour exposure (WHO, 2000). Resources:
Hydrogen sulfide exposure in the newsThere have been several instances, even in recent years, of people suffering significant health effects due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Some of these instances include:
Further informationExposure limits from various sources, from an Airgas Materials Safety Data Sheet: Information about hydrogen sulfide toxicity can be found here: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10408448409029321 (which is behind a paywall). QuestionsPost and answer questions about the health effects of hydrogen sulfide here: [questions:hydrogen-sulfide-effects,hydrogen-sulfide,h2s] |
Revert | |
| 2 | gretchengehrke |
September 27, 2017 19:32
| about 7 years ago
This page summarizes the health effects of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide exposure effectsHydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly flammable gas that can negatively affect humans and animals. At low concentrations (~10 ppb), hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, but at higher concentrations, hydrogen sulfide is odorless, in part due to olfactory fatigue which can occur around 100 ppm (cite: AEGL vol. 9). Exposure to low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (<10 ppm) can result in headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath, eye irritation, throat irritation, watery eyes, and sensitivity to light. Exposure to moderately higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can induce asthma-like symptoms and mild pulmonary disease. At higher concentrations, ~100 ppm, hydrogen sulfide can be a neurotoxin, impairing vision, motor skills, and memory. The concentration at which hydrogen sulfide is deemed immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) is 100 ppm (cite: AEGL, OSHA). At concentrations exceeding 500 ppm, short term exposure to hydrogen sulfide can be lethal. There is very little data about the health effects of chronic exposure to hydrogen sulfide, and due to the very steep exacerbation of health effects with increasing concentrations above 10 ppm, and some data demonstrating biological consequences at just 1 ppm exposure, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using large margins for safety in exposure guidelines. The WHO exposure guidelines are 0.1 ppm for 24-hour exposure (WHO, 2000). Resources: 1. Acute Exposure Guidelines from National Research Council: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-11/documents/hydrogen_sulfide_final_volume9_2010.pdf 2. OSHA: https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/hydrogen_sulfide_fact.pdf 3. WHO: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/123076/AQG2ndEd_6_6Hydrogensulfide.PDF Hydrogen sulfide exposure in the newsThere have been several instances, even in recent years, of people suffering significant health effects due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Some of these instances include: An oil spill resulting in the death of 9 people due to hydrogen sulfide exposure in 1975: http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2010-09-15/denver-city-remembers-h2s-tragedy A sewer leaked hydrogen sulfide gas that killed two and injured eight in 2002: http://www.csb.gov/georgia-pacific-corp-hydrogen-sulfide-poisoning/ A defective battery leaked hydrogen sulfide into an automobile and killed two in 2016: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/woman-girl-died-inhaling-hydrogen-sulfide-coroners-article-1.2817657 Hydrogen sulfide and methane from rotting vegetation in a manhole killed three in 2017: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/01/18/three-utility-workers-descend-to-their-deaths-in-florida-manhole-overcome-by-fumes/?utm_term=.11268b7f0544 Further informationExposure limits from various sources, from an Airgas Materials Safety Data Sheet: Information about hydrogen sulfide toxicity can be found here: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10408448409029321 (which is behind a paywall). QuestionsPost and answer questions about the health effects of hydrogen sulfide here: [questions:hydrogen-sulfide-effects,hydrogen-sulfide,h2s] |
Revert | |
| 1 | warren |
September 25, 2017 19:40
| about 7 years ago
A page on the health and environmental effects of hydrogen sulfide.
(Exposure information from OSHA.gov) QuestionsPost and answer questions about the health effects of hydrogen sulfide here: [questions:hydrogen-sulfide-effects,hydrogen-sulfide,h2s] Exposure limits from various sources, from an Airgas Materials Safety Data Sheet: Note that these show toxicity at levels close to the ability of the wearable electronic monitors (see above) can detect -- 10-15ppm; "STEL" means Short Term Exposure Limit, or an "acceptable average exposure over a short period of time." |
Revert | |
| 0 | warren |
September 25, 2017 19:40
| about 7 years ago
A page on the health and environmental effects of hydrogen sulfide.
(Exposure information from OSHA.gov) QuestionsPost and answer questions about the health effects of hydrogen sulfide here: [questions:hydrogen-sulfide-effects,hydrogen-sulfide] Exposure limits from various sources, from an Airgas Materials Safety Data Sheet: Note that these show toxicity at levels close to the ability of the wearable electronic monitors (see above) can detect -- 10-15ppm; "STEL" means Short Term Exposure Limit, or an "acceptable average exposure over a short period of time." |
Revert |