HYDRAZINE EXPOSURE

Overview and Facts

Hydrazine exposure may occur in the population via cigarette smoking or the use of other tobacco products. Hydrazine is a flammable, colorless liquid with a distinct, penetrating scent. It is primarily utilized as a chemical intermediary in the manufacturing of agricultural chemicals. It is also employed as a rocket propellant, a corrosion inhibitor, and in the manufacturing of chemical blowing agents used in the creation of plastics. Besides, it is generated naturally by certain algae and is found in tobacco.

Moreover, exposure is more likely to occur in a work environment where it is utilized or manufactured. However, it is not inherently caused by the presence of hydrazine in the environment. You must come into touch with it for it to have any negative health impacts. You might be exposed to the drug through inhalation, ingestion, or cutaneous contact.

Types and Symptoms

Acute (short-term) to severe hydrazine exposure symptoms might include:

  • inflammation of the nose, throat, and eyes
  • dizziness
  • headache
  • nausea
  • respiratory edema
  • seizures
  • coma

Acute exposure may damage the liver, kidneys, and neurological system. The caustic liquid may cause dermatitis in humans and animals. Hydrazine inhaled continuously by animals affects their thyroid, liver, spleen, and lungs. Hydrazine exposure increases liver, lung, and nasal cavity cancer risks in rats.

Diagnosis & Medications

DIAGNOSIS

If you have been exposed to hydrazines, your blood, urine, or feces may be tested for the presence of these substances or their metabolites. These tests must be performed as soon as possible after being exposed (typically within one day). Some cancer medicines and other substances may cause your body to manufacture hydrazines or their metabolites. These tests cannot tell you how much you were exposed to or if you would get unwell as a result of it. These tests are often performed in testing laboratories rather than doctor’s offices. Because these tests require the use of costly equipment and competent experts, their availability in certain areas may be restricted.

TREATMENT

The following are treatments for hydrazine exposure:

  • Decontamination
  • Pyridoxine for neurological sequelae—especially seizures
  • Supportive Measures

Patients should be transported 75 feet from the exposure location. Decontamination is critical to patient care, and no patient should be moved for medical treatment until they have been completely decontaminated. All clothing should be removed right away. MMH, UDMH, and Hydrazine are all water-soluble and may be rinsed away from the epidermis and eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes.

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