What is styrene oxide used for?

What is styrene oxide used for?

Styrene oxide is used as a reactive plasticizer or diluent for epoxy resins and in the production of phenethyl alcohol and styrene glycol and its derivatives. Acute (short-term) exposure to styrene oxide causes skin and eye irritation in humans.

How is styrene oxide made?

Styrene oxide is an epoxide that is oxirane in which one of the hydrogens has been replaced by a phenyl group. It has a role as a human xenobiotic metabolite. It derives from a hydride of a styrene.

How can you protect yourself from styrene?

Styrene), use a NIOSH approved respirator with an organic vapor cartridge. More protection is provided by a full facepiece respirator than by a half-mask respirator, and even greater protection is provided by a powered-air purifying respirator.

Who is styrene?

Styrene (vinylbenzene, styrole) is a colourless, viscous liquid with a pungent odour and tendency to polymerize. Its chemical structure is C6H5.CH=CH2 and its molecular mass 104.15. Styrene is slightly soluble in water, soluble in ethanol and very soluble in benzene and petroleum ether.

What is the boiling point of styrene?

145 °C
Styrene/Boiling point

Is styrene bad for humans?

Health effects of styrene include irritation of the skin, eyes, and the upper respiratory tract. Acute exposure may also result in gastrointestinal effects. Provides an Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) document that includes acute toxicity data for styrene.

What happens if we inhale styrene?

Acute exposure to styrene by inhalation can give rise to irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose and throat, increased nasal secretion, wheezing and coughing. A more severe exposure to styrene can lead to the onset of CNS depression, the effects of which are commonly termed “styrene sickness”.

What happens if we breathe styrene gas?

Styrene gas, when inhaled, can cause several symptoms such as nausea, headache, weakness, etc. Hundreds of people have been taken to hospital following styrene gas leak, with many complaining of difficulties breathing and a burning sensation in the eyes.

Is styrene gas toxic?

Styrene is highly flammable and releases a poisonous gas when burnt. Acute exposure to styrene in humans results in respiratory effects, such as mucous membrane irritation, eye irritation, and gastrointestinal effects.

Is polystyrene the same as styrofoam?

We hate to break it to you, but a lot of the things that people think are made of styrofoam are actually made of polystyrene. Styrofoam is a trademarked brand of closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam, or XPS. Styrofoam is made out of styrene which is a petroleum-based product.