All you need to know about Styrene- the gas that choked Vizag

In the wee hours of the morning on May 7, a tragedy unfolded after gas leaked from the LG Polymers plant at Gopalapatnam on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam. The incident has left nearly 10 people dead while hundreds have been hospitalised after they fell unconscious and had breathing difficulties following the leak.

The gas leaked from LG Polymers, a styrene plant owned and managed by South Korean chemical company LG Chem Limited.

Soon after, LG Chem issued a statement saying that the gas leak at its facility near Vizag, Andhra Pradesh has been brought under control. LG Chem added that the gas emitted in the leak can cause nausea and dizziness when inhaled.

What is styrene, the gas that choked people in Vizag?

Styrene is a man-made chemical compound used in the manufacture of plastics, latex, synthetic rubber, and polystyrene resins. It is a flammable, liquid hydrocarbon that is classified as a volatile organic compound.

Low levels of styrene occur naturally in a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beverages, and meats. Styrene is also present in combustion products, such as cigarette smoke and automobile exhaust.

According to the Centers for Disease Contro, and Prevention (CDC), people are exposed to styrene by breathing contaminated air or eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Styrene can also pass through the skin into the body.

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What happens if one is exposed to styrene?

The CDC noted that effects on human health from exposure to low environmental levels of styrene are unknown. But, workers exposed to large amounts of styrene can develop irritation of the eyes and breathing passages. With long-term and large exposures, workers using styrene have had injuries to their nervous systems.

However, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), acute or short-term exposure to styrene in humans results in mucous membrane and eye irritation, and gastrointestinal effects.

Meanwhile, chronic or long-term exposure to styrene in humans results in effects on the central nervous system (CNS), such as headache, fatigue, weakness, and depression, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy.

Several epidemiologic studies also suggest there may be an association between styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma. However, the EPA says the evidence is inconclusive due to confounding factors and it has not given a formal carcinogen classification to styrene.

Also Read | Gas leak took place as plastic factory was being prepared for resumption of work: NDRF

Catch all updates on the Vizag gas leak here