Volatile substances (inhalants) are a very strange kind of drug, since in the literal sense they are not a drug at all. They are chemicals that can affect a person and cause addiction and dependence. Their danger lies in the fact that they cause serious brain damage and even death.

Volatile products are available in almost any home or office and are therefore difficult to keep away from people who might misuse them. Inhalants are mainly abused by difficult youth, homeless people, as well as people from an unfavorable social environment. Among the homeless, the use of volatile substances is especially common.

Volatile substances (inhalants) that are abused:

• Paint thinner
• Stain remover
• Degreaser
• Liquid for dry cleaning
• Lighter fluid
• Petrol
• Glue
• Corrector
• Markers and markers
• spray paint
• Hair spray
• Gas cylinders
• Butane
• refrigerant vapor
• Ether
• Nitrous oxide
• Chloroform
• amyl nitrate
• Rubber
• Shoe polish

As you can see, most of these products are widely available everywhere and easy to get. There is no state ban on selling these substances to minors.

Inhalant abuse

If a person decides to abuse volatile substances, they will most likely do so by spraying the substance into the nasal or oral cavity directly; moisten a piece of cloth in the substance and put in the mouth; inhale the substance from the bag, bag or directly from the container.

The euphoria from inhaling volatile substances is usually very short-lived, so to continue the pleasure it is necessary to inhale the substance again and again for several hours.

As a result of inhalation of volatile substances, intoxication and a state of euphoria occur. A person's speech becomes slurred, coordination of movements suffers, dizziness is possible. Severe substance abusers may experience hallucinations and delusions.

Depending on the volatile substance that the person used, when its effect subsides, a headache sets in, along with confusion, nausea and vomiting.

Main consumers of volatile substances

Substance addicts - consumers of volatile substances, in order to get pleasure. Despite the fact that adults also abuse toxic substances, the main consumer is homeless youth. Average age the onset of substance abuse in this environment is 13 years old. Unfortunately, young people generally do not have enough experience and knowledge to be aware of the damage they are doing to themselves.

Danger of substance abuse

Persons who abuse volatile substances are at risk of causing the following harm to their body:

• Damage to the brain and central nervous system
• Bone marrow damage
• hearing loss
• Spasms of the arms or legs
• Damage to the liver, heart, or kidneys
• Death from heart failure
• Suffocation from replacing the oxygen in the lungs with another gas.

Signs of substance abuse:

Parents and other caregivers who suspect a teenager of inhalant abuse should watch for the following signs of inhalant abuse:

• Breath with a chemical smell, smell on clothes or fabrics at home
• Residues of paint on the face, clothes, bag or rags
• Empty containers of solvents or paint
• Drunk appearance
• Slurred speech
• Inability to focus
• Depression
• Nausea
• Vomit
• Headache
• Loss of appetite

Just like other drugs, inhalants can be addictive.

And just like with other drugs, recovery from inhalant abuse may require rehabilitation. If a person cannot stop using these substances on their own, then it is necessary to provide this person with effective rehabilitation that can help him change his life. There is always a reason why this person began to abuse drugs. This cause must be eliminated, for the sake of a sober and stable life. Some of the volatiles are also physically addictive.

Dr. Vasilenko's Narcological Psychotherapy Center will help you recover from substance abuse and return to a better life.

These include benzene, toluene and xylenes.

Benzene enters the environment from sewage and gaseous emissions from the production of basic organic synthesis, petrochemical and chemical-pharmaceutical arbitrariness of the enterprise for the production of plastics, explosives, ion-exchange resins, varnishes, paints and artificial leather, it is contained in the exhaust gases of vehicles, etc. Benzene quickly evaporates from water bodies into the atmosphere and is capable of transformation from
soil into plants.
The content of benzene in the atmospheric air ranges from 3 to 160 µg/m cubed. Higher concentrations! are found in the air of large cities, near oil refineries. Release of benzene into the air
the basin of Russia from stationary sources is 13-24 thousand tons "per year. In the atmospheric air of cities, the average annual concentration
benzene reaches 90 iMKr/m, and the maximum - 2000 mcg/m The World Health Organization (WHO) does not
recommendations regarding the normative level of content
benzene in atmospheric air and gives only the values ​​of carcinogenic potentials necessary to calculate the carcinogenic risk.
In the atmospheric air of most cities with large
petrochemical industries (Kemerovo, Omsk, Salavat,
Samara, Togliatti, Usolye-Sibirskoye, etc.) the concentration of benzene is in the range of 20 - 60 µg/m3. Higher concentrations
200 MKT / MJ - are registered in the air basin of cities with heavy traffic - Moscow and St. Petersburg. Probably, the level of atmospheric air pollution with benzene is also high in other cities with petrochemical industries, but there is no systematic control over the content of this product.
In Russia, about 2 million people are exposed to elevated concentrations of benzene, including concentrations at
Level 50-70 mcg/m3 - up to 0.5 million and concentrations 25-30 mcg/m3 - 1.3 million people. In the US, exposure to benzene concentrations of 32 µg/m3
exposed to about 0.08 million people and impact”, from 13-32 µg/m cubed 0.2 million people.

In addition to being carcinogenic, benzene has
mutagenic, embryotoxic, teratogenic and allergic
actions. In workers, chronic benzene intoxication is characterized mainly by damage to the blood and hematopoietic organs and, to a lesser extent, the nervous system. Often neurological symptoms correspond to the severity of hematological changes. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of benzene (0.6-40.0 µg/m) leads to an increase in chromosomal aberrations.
The carcinogenicity of benzene has been confirmed by a number of epidemiological studies that have revealed an increase in the incidence of leukemia among workers exposed to
prolonged exposure to benzene concentration of 32 - 320 mcg/m.
IARC shows a linear relationship between the accumulation dose of benzene and the incidence of leukemia.
In numerous epidemiological studies
a causal relationship has been established between the exposure of workers to benzene and the incidence of various types leukemia. The most representative were retrospective cohort studies conducted in China. Among the 28,460 workers who had contact with
benzene, 30 cases of leukemia (23 acute and 7 chronic) were detected, while in the reference cohort of 28,257
workers employed in the machine-building industry (83 productions) and who did not have professional contact with benzene, only 4 cases of leukemia were registered. Mortality from leukemia in the first group was 14 cases, in the second - 2 cases per day.
JOOOOO people in year. g Biological evaluation of exposure to benzene is based on determining the trend in urinary phenol levels. In impacted individuals, the concentration of phenol in the urine is 9.5 ± 3.6 mg/l and decreases immediately after finishing work in hazardous working conditions. Level
Phenol in the urine of the order of 25 mg / l is considered an indicator of exposure
benzene.
AT drinking water benzene can be introduced from contamination of the water supply by industrial wastewater, as well as from carbon filters used for purification.1
The odor threshold for benzene in water is 0.5 mg/l 20 OS. MPC
benzene in drinking water (sanitary and toxicological indicator of harmfulness) is set at the level of 0.01 mg/l.
xylene- a mixture of three isomers of dimethylbenzene obtained from coal tar and oil. In technology, it means
solvent and is an important starting material for obtaining
plastics, varnishes, paints, adhesives, etc.
Xylenes enter drinking water from water sources polluted with wastewater, mainly from processing industries. AT surface waters the content of xylenes reaches 2-8 µg/l, in tap water- 1 µg/l. They are long time saved in groundwater.
Xylenes have an irritant and embryotropic effect, disrupt reproduction processes and become dangerous when penetrated through the skin. 50-60% inhaled xylene
adsorbed in the human body, and it easily penetrates into the fatty
tissue and is released very slowly, and only after acidification is excreted by the kidneys. Research is currently underway on
determination of its carcinogenicity. Symptoms of poisoning at significant concentrations of xylene are: a decrease in the ability to concentrate, impaired vision and the vestibular apparatus, a violation of the blood picture, and headaches.
At a concentration of 100 mg/l, xylenes inhibit the processes
biological oxygen demand. MPC of xylene in the water of water sources is 0.05 mg/l - an organoleptic indicator of harmfulness.
Toluene- a colorless water-transparent liquid, reminiscent of benzene in smell. Included in the composition of coal tar and many types of oil. It is obtained from raw materials by
fractional distillation.
Toluene is the most important chemical precursor
industry, used as a solvent and substitute
benzene in the production of benzoic acid and explosives
(trinitrotoluene).

The concentration of toluene in surface waters, as a rule, exceeds 10 µg/l. The odor threshold (I point) corresponds to a toluene concentration of 0.67 mg/l, and chlorination does not give rise to a specific odor. The threshold concentration for taste is 1.1 mg/l. Toluene is a general toxic poison that causes acute and chronic poisoning. According to some authors, prolonged contact with low doses may have an effect on the blood. His
the irritating component is more pronounced than that of benzene.
The penetration of toluene through intact skin into the body is dangerous, since it causes endocrine disorders and reduces performance. In the way of high solubility in lipids and fats, it accumulates mainly in the cells of the central nervous system. DC (permissible concentration) of toluene in the water of water sources (organoleptic indicator of harmfulness) is 0.5 mg/l. Some derivatives of toluene, especially toluene sulfates, are the strongest allergens.

1.5 Sulfur compounds
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colorless gas with a characteristic rotten egg odor. It is present in volcanic gases, and is also produced by bacteria during the decay of plant and animal matter.
squirrel. A significant amount of hydrogen sulfide is present in the air in some areas gas fields, in particular Astrakhan, as well as in the air of geothermally active regions. Hydrogen sulfide is a by-product of the processes of coking of sulfur-containing coal, refining of crude sulfur-containing oils, the production of carbon disulfide, viscose silk, and craft processes in the production of wood pulp. Hydrogen sulfide enters the air basin of Russian cities mainly with emissions from pulp and paper, coke-chemical, metallurgical, oil and gas processing, petrochemical industries, and
also factories of synthetic fibers. The annual supply of hydrogen sulfide previously reached 30 thousand tons, and in last years decreased to 15 thousand tons. Control over the content of hydrogen sulfide in the atmospheric air is carried out in more than 100 cities of the Russian Federation. Recently, the average annual concentration of hydrogen sulfide is ~2 µg/m.
The threshold for sensing hydrogen sulfide is very low and depends on individual sensitivity. Therefore, the maximum
a one-time MPC of 8 µg/m3 is set exactly according to the threshold of odor perception. Close to this value standard for the content of hydrogen sulfide
WHO also recommends (7 µg/m3 in 30 minutes). However, with a longer exposure (within 24 hours), a milder standard is recommended.
150 mcg / m ". , The main route of hydrogen sulfide entry into the human body is inhalation. In a number of Russian cities, where pulp and paper mills are located (Amursk, Baikalsk, Bratsk, Selenginsk, Ust-Ilimsk) and chemical and coke production (Berezniki,
Syzran, Krasnoyarsk, Tver, Magnitogorsk, Pervouralsk, etc.), as well as in the air near the gas processing plant in Orenburg,
significant concentrations of this gas are recorded. Maximum
single concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the atmospheric air of these cities ranges from 50-100 µg/m, i.e. exceeds the maximum one-time MPC by 15 times.
A number of works describe the impact of an increased content of hydrogen sulfide in the atmospheric air on the health of the population. The results of such influences can be different - from unpleasant sensations to severe lesions. One of the most tragic
episodes is associated with the small Mexican town of Poza Rico. where in
1950 there was a release of large amounts of hydrogen sulfide in
as a result of an accident in the off-gas combustion system at a sulfur recovery plant. Under conditions of atmospheric inversion, unburned gas reached the territory of a residential settlement, and within 3 hours 320 people were hospitalized, 22 of them died. The most common symptom of the lesion was loss of smell.
As a result of the direct irritating effect of hydrogen sulfide on the moist tissues of the eye, kerato-conjunctivitis develops, known as the "gas eye". When inhaled, hydrogen sulfide irritates the upper respiratory tract and damages deeper structures. Under conditions of exposure to very high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (up to 450 µg/m3) is bad smell, causing nausea, sleep disturbance, burning sensation in the eyes, coughing, headache and loss of appetite. The effect of elevated concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (in industrial
CONDITIONS) can lead to the development of pulmonary edema.
In the cities of Baikalsk and Ust-Ilimsk, significant changes in the health status of the child population were revealed. There is an increase in the number of frequently ill children and children with disharmonious physical development. Between indicator general morbidity children and the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the atmospheric air A.O. Karelin (1989) established a statistically significant relationship.
Carbon disulfide (carbon disulfide CS2)- a colorless liquid, highly flammable and forming explosive mixtures with air. Technical carbon disulfide containing impurities has the smell of rotten radish. 50-60% of the carbon disulfide produced is used to make fibers in the viscose industry, 10-15% - for
receiving cellophane. The rest goes to synthesis
carbon tetrachloride, plant protection products,
photochemicals, etc.
Sources of emissions of this gas in atmospheric air
are enterprises for the production of artificial fibers,
of which there are 26 in Russia, and coke-chemical
factories. According to the information included in the statistical form
reporting on the quantitative composition of exhaust gases, annual
the amount of hydrogen sulfide emissions previously reached 30 thousand tons, but in
in recent years has decreased to 10-11 thousand tons.
Artificial fibers are produced at factories: Balakova,
Barnaul, Krasnoyarsk, Tver and Ryazan; coke production!
located in Magnitogorsk, Nizhny Tagil and Cherepovets.
The average annual concentration of carbon disulfide in these cities is 10-16 µg/m3. The highest content of this gas was registered in the air of the cities of Arkhangelsk, Baikalsk, Bratsk,
Kaliningrad Novodvinsk, Selenginsk, Balakovo, Kemerovo, Tver,
Berezniki, Volgograd, where pulp and paper is concentrated! manufacturing and chemical industry. Up to 5.1 million people live under the influence of elevated concentrations of carbon disulfide.
Carbon disulfide has a strong irritant effect on the skin and mucous membranes, affects the enzyme systems, the metabolism of vitamins, lipids, the endocrine and reproductive systems. The odor threshold is 200 µg/m3, i.e. it is felt when the maximum single dose of MPC (30 µg/m3) is exceeded by 7 times.

Prolonged exposure to carbon disulfide in industrial conditions causes vascular atherosclerotic changes. An increase in mortality was found among workers exposed to high concentrations of carbon disulfide for more than 10 years.
For women employed in hazardous production, menstrual irregularities, miscarriages, and premature births are typical. The lower concentration threshold at which any effect is noted in terms of health changes is 10,000 µg/m3, which corresponds, for the general population, to a concentration of 1000 µg/m3.
An indicator of carbon disulfide exposure is its content in the urine. In studies conducted by V.V. Makhlarchuk et al. (1993), found its increased accumulation in the urine of children living near the plant for the production chemical fiber in Ryazan.

1.6 Nitrates as a factor environment.
Currently one of important issues resulting from anthropogenic pressure on ecosystems is the problem of nitrates. Excess nitrates have been proven to be a serious health hazard.
However, the presence of nitrates in plants is normal. Nitric acid salt nitrates are one of the main sources of nitrogen nutrition for plants and soil microflora. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient. It is included in simple and
complex proteins that are the main integral part
cytoplasm plant cells, as well as nucleic acids that play an important role in the metabolism in the body. Nitrogen is found in chlorophyll, protein complexes, phosphatides,
alkaloids, most enzymes and other organic
substances of plant cells.
Among food products, the main source of nitrates are fresh or canned vegetables, which account for 70-86% daily allowance nitrates. Known cases
acute poisoning and death of children due to food abuse,
containing 80-1300 mg/l of nitrate ions (mashed beets, spinach and stale vegetables).
The share of other sources, together with the addition of nitrate or nitrate salts in meat products, usually does not exceed 10-15% and does not pose a threat to humans, except for accidental
ingestion of nitric acid salts directly into the body.
The negative effect of nitrates coming with drinking water is more pronounced in comparison with “nitrate containing; vegetables. Vegetables containing nitrates contain ascorbic acid, which partially normalizes the resulting violations of protein, vitamin and mineral metabolism in the body.
Nitrates contained in food products in low concentrations, or in an environment that does not include oxidizing agents, are practically safe for the body of an adult healthy person.

Nitrates are most dangerous for infants. Potential
The toxicity of nitrates contained in high concentrations in edible cheese and foodstuffs lies in the fact that they are partially reduced to nitrites, which cause serious health problems not only for children, but also for adults.
In the human body, nitrites, under the action of bacteria living in the body, are formed in the digestive tract and intestines or directly in the oral cavity.
Nitrates that come with food are absorbed in the digestive tract, enter the blood and with it into the tissues.
Unlike the relatively non-toxic nitrates, nitrites are toxic. Severe nitrite poisoning is observed at doses of about 2 g - this is vomiting, loss of consciousness.
The toxic effect of nitrites in the human body is manifested in the form of the so-called methemoglobinemia. It results from the oxidation of ferrous hemoglobin to ferric iron, causing cyanosis. As a result of this oxidation, hemoglobin, which has a red color, turns into methemoglobin, which is dark brown in color.
The formation of strong carcinogens nitrosamines is associated with nitrites. They can be formed in the gastrointestinal tract from nitrites and amines (for example, from cheese), or they can already be present in certain products, for example, in meat products formed by a curing mixture. Of all beers, dark (old) top-fermented beer contains the most nitrosamines. The presence of nitrosamines is noted in some cosmetics and in tobacco smoke. Up to 3% nitrosamines have been found in machine oils.
The total contamination with nitrosamines that entered the human body from the environment or formed inside it is about 10 μg per day. Thus, during the life of a person acquires nitrosamines, in the amount of ^ 4 mg per 1 kg of body weight. In experiments on animals, nitrosamine already at a total dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight, distributed over the entire life span, causes tumors.

It has been experimentally proven that nitrosocombinations cause the formation of tumors on all organs except bones.
In addition to direct carcinogenesis, a number of nitroso compounds have a strong anomalous effect on the developing fetus (underdevelopment of the limbs, poor development of the central organs).
After 4-12 hours. most of them (80% in young and 50% in older people) are excreted from the body through the kidneys. The rest of them remain in the body.
Researchers believe that the nitrosation reaction in the human body can be regulated by ascorbic acid, vitamin E, polyphenols and pectin substances contained in vegetables. It follows that the constant intake of vitamin C can prevent the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Production of products with a high content of nitrates is not
not only create a direct threat to public and animal health, but also cause economic damage agriculture, processing industry. With a high content of nitrates, the keeping quality of fruits of vegetable crops and potato tubers decreases. A biennial plant, when planting fruits with an excess content of nitrates, is more susceptible to diseases and does not produce conditioned seed material.

Among vegetable crops the largest number nitrates are found in beetroot, lettuce, spinach, dill, radish,
white radish. The same crops as tomato, sweet pepper,
eggplant, garlic, peas, beans are low
nitrate content.
Due to the danger posed by nitrates human body in various countries world, standards for the content of nitrates in various types food products - maximum permissible concentration
(MAC values ​​are given in Appendices 4). In applications
given: the content of nitrates in various organs and parts of plants, as well as their reduction in the cooking process.

1.7 Chemical Warfare Agents (CWs)
CWAs, depending on their action, are divided into: nerve-paralytic, skin, pulmonary, affecting blood. CWAs are toxins, lachrymators (tear gases), chemical weapons, pesticides (according to the conclusion of the UN expert commission on chemical and bacterial weapons from 1969).
According to the physical properties, CWAs can be divided into gaseous, liquid or solid substances with strong or even extremely pronounced toxicity. They are used in grenades, bombs, and also by spraying from aircraft.
To chemical warfare agents obtained before the second
World War II include:

The "White Cross" group is: bromoacetone, chloroacetone, CN, CS, tear substances that cause irritation and damage to the eyes and nose;

The Green Cross group - phosgene, which affects the respiratory lungs with a possible fatal outcome; - Blue Cross group - diphenylarsine chloride clark I, DA) and
its chemical derivatives causing damage to the eyes and upper respiratory tract.

Group of the "Yellow Cross" - mustard gas, poison of the skin-blister and
suffocating action.

"New" BOV; received at a later time are nerve gases: soman, sarin, tabun, VX (V-skin poison). Ingestion of lethal doses of these gases can lead to death in a few minutes (Appendix 7).
special group BOB are psychotomimetic
poisonous substances, which cause a number of mental anomalies, lead to loss of combat and capability. This group includes LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and BZ
(derivatives of lysergic acid).
Mustard gas was first obtained by the German scientists Lummel and
Steinconf. During the First World War, about 9 million mustard gas grenades were used. The Germans called this gas by its smell - mustard gas, and the French, in connection with its use in
battle of Ypres - mustard gas. During this battle, on the night of July 12-13, 1917, about 125 tons of mustard gas were used, 2229 British and 348 French soldiers died.
Щ The composition of mustard gas includes related chemical structure substances: sulfur mustard (military designation "HD") and nitrogen mustard (military designation "HN"). They provide persistent contamination of the area for several days, and are also able to penetrate the skin through uniforms and boots. HD - dark liquid with
mustard-garlic smell; HN - yellow-brown liquid with
geranium scent. Toxic components of mustard gas cause during
several minutes skin burns with the formation of blisters and abscesses, eye lesions are noted, such as clouding of the cornea,
temporary or long-term loss of vision, and sometimes even complete loss of it. Mustard compounds are mutagenic and carcinogenic
properties.

Phosgene It is a highly toxic, colorless gas with a hay-like odour. During the First World War, phosgene was used by the French, and diphosgene by the German troops. Under the action of water, phosgene decomposes to carbon dioxide and hydrochloric acid, which has a damaging effect.
action, due to the ability to denature proteins.
Phosgene is also used for peaceful purposes, as a raw material for the manufacture of paints, plastics, pesticides, and medicines. Inhalation of phosgene concentrations of 1.25-2.5 ppm is hazardous to health (lung damage). In high concentrations, it causes direct acid burns and asphyxiation.
Herd- military abbreviation "GA", trilon-83. One of the most poisonous BOV. Application leads to long-term chemical contamination of the area. Tabun is a colorless liquid with a fruity odor, it can also acquire the smell of bitter almonds, when
hydrocyanic acid is formed when mixed with water.
Tabun easily penetrates through mucous membranes, wound surfaces and eyes. Upon receipt of lethal doses, death occurs within a few minutes from suffocation. Toxicity, based on LD 50 (lethal dose) for rats, is 0.26 mg per 1 kg of body weight.
Sarin- surpasses tabun in toxicity. The use of sarin can lead to many hours of contamination of the area. This substance can neither be seen nor felt (including taste). Upon receipt lethal dose, death by suffocation occurs within a few minutes. Toxicity, based on LD 50 for rats, is 0.1| mg per 1 kg of body weight.
Combat gas "VX" - the most poisonous and persistent of all
BEAN. In the case of combat use, VX will spread in the form of: a poisonous fog, which, due to the extremely high! resistance lingers on the ground from 3 to 21 days. VX is a colorless or yellowish (amber)1 liquid, odorless, which can be absorbed into the body by skin contact (contact poison) or by inhalation; sprayed in the form of a mist of poison.
According to the conclusion of WHO researchers in the case of application
4 tons of VX 30 thousand people will die immediately, and another 30 thousand will be doomed to death within a few hours. Toxicity, based on LD 50, for rats 0.02 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

At present, when hundreds of thousands of chemicals are used in the world, it is difficult even for chemists to keep track of all sorts of dangers that come from them. Your attention is invited quick guide to the main groups of hazardous organic substances contained in many modern products and preparations. You can also refer to this section for help if you see them. chemical formulas on the product label or hear their characteristics from experts.

Volatile organic compounds - toxic chemicals that can be in the air in a gaseous state.

As by-products of industrial processes, they are often used in a wide variety of products. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pose a serious health hazard as they interact with chemical compounds present in the body.

The most common sources of these compounds are solvents, cleaners and disinfectants, paints, adhesives, and pesticides.

Most commonly used methylene chloride. This compound is listed by the US government as a suspected carcinogen. In Russian domestic funds household chemicals methylene chloride is contained, for example, in the preparation “Autowash” to remove old car paint, as well as in the anti-moth preparation "Keratsid".

Unfortunately, not all countries have a requirement to indicate on the labels of household products their components - methylene chloride or other chlorine-containing compounds. As a result, it can be difficult to determine if a product contains a hazardous substance. Therefore, it is best to use neutral cleaning agents whenever possible. Especially avoid the use of aerosol products.

Other halogenated hydrocarbons. In everyday life, contact with halogenated hydrocarbons is possible not only in the case of the use of solvents, but also when using various products. 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol are used in the production of plastics, resins, rubber and other very common household materials and products. Many of them (dishes, packaging, electrical insulation) are made of polyvinyl chloride, which emits a toxic monomer - vinyl chloride, which affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems. In addition, this substance has carcinogenic properties.

Some aliphatic halogenated hydrocarbons are highly toxic, and all of them have narcotic properties to varying degrees. Saturated (limiting) compounds of this group, for example, carbon tetrachloride and tetrachloroethane, are dangerous for the kidneys and liver.

Of the aromatic chlorine-containing hydrocarbons, the most commonly used chlorobenzene. This flammable (!) liquid has a strong effect on nervous system. Inhalation of its vapors can lead to loss of consciousness. A number of chlorinated naphthalenes affect the liver, causing toxic jaundice.

Here are some basic rules to help you reduce your exposure to VOCs:

Choose paints that do not contain organic solvents;

Use traditional cleaning products: soap, borax, drinking water and soda ash;

Apply organic fertilizers plant and animal origin.

Get rid of pesticides.

If you have to work with volatile organic compounds, you should always:

Well ventilate the room;

Protect your eyes and skin;

In case of contact with the skin, rinse the area thoroughly with water.

Chlorine derivatives of aromatic hydrocarbons (pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene) are dangerous due to the possible formation of a by-product during their synthesis - dioxin - highly toxic chemical compound containing chlorine and oxygen in its composition. Dioxin is also present as an impurity in 2,4,5-trichlorophenol used in the manufacture of bactericides and herbicides. Traces of this substance were found in the herbicide 2,4,5-T (trichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and in the bactericidal preparation hexachlorophene obtained from trichlorophenol. Dioxin is practically not removed from the soil and water system. It is extremely toxic to humans and animals even at very low levels. Liver disease, immune system suppression, mutagenic, teratogenic, carcinogenic and embryotoxic effects - these are the consequences of its toxic effects, the mechanism of which has not yet been identified.

The most sensitive indicator (indicator) of human exposure to dioxin is chloracne. Its clinical manifestation is a rash of acne, especially on the skin of the face. Initially, the disease has no other symptoms, except for a disfigured appearance. In severe cases, skin lesions may persist for 15 years or more after contact with the substance has ceased.

The main causes of human poisoning:

1) expansion of use herbicides(drugs used to destroy vegetation), which leads to the accumulation of dioxin in food;

2) inhalation of ash particles and gases from waste incinerators and industrial heating installations, as well as from the combustion of carbonaceous materials in the presence of chlorine, since dioxin can be formed under these conditions.

Precautions - do not burn plastic products on fires, do not graze livestock near waste incineration plants, monitor the use of herbicides.

Despite the great danger of the presence of dioxin and its own toxic properties, pentachlorobenzene included in the composition of many antiseptics, fungicides and is used as plasticizers in adhesives, for surface treatment of textiles, as well as in the production of dyes, printing inks, carbon paper.

Hexachlorobenzene is widely used as a plasticizer and solvent for macromolecular compounds in seed treatment. Sodium pentachlorophenolate is included in (in small quantities) water-based paints and is a component of wood preservatives.

Cases of industrial leakage of the main products and even more dangerous by-products lead to mass poisoning of people.

Numerous accidents of this kind took place both abroad and in Russia (in Ufa, Chapaevsk, etc.).

Pollution of residential areas adjacent to enterprises that produce chlorine-containing aromatic hydrocarbons always poses a danger to the population.

In addition to nitrogen and oxygen, earth's atmosphere harmless gaseous substances were always present, for example, argon, neon, krypton, etc.
The atmosphere of a modern metropolis and its suburbs contains a huge amount of natural pollutants - carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, as well as anthropogenic toxic chemical pollutants (such as phenol, formaldehyde, styrene, benzaldehyde), the amount of which is dozens of times higher than the maximum permissible concentrations *.

In fact, all of the above is far from a complete list of what we breathe on the streets of megacities. But even in small doses, these substances can cause poisoning. In addition, they are relatively easy to enter into chemical reactions with oxygen and other oxidizing agents, which leads to the formation of even more dangerous pollutants.

According to the Moscow Nature Committee, in residential areas, especially those located near highways, the concentration of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides exceeds the maximum allowable by 10-15 times. This means that in our homes and offices the concentration of these substances exceeds the norm by 100 times. Once in a closed space, pollutants "accumulate", so that their concentration in the premises may be higher than in the street. Perhaps it is worth dispelling the myth that “double-glazed windows save”. No, no one has yet managed to hide from the air he breathes. And in megacities, clean air simply has nowhere to come from.

In the apartment and office, we are greeted by our own sources of air pollution. modern furniture made of plywood, chipboard, fiberboard. These materials use phenol-formaldehyde resin as a binder. Over time, it decomposes into phenol and formaldehyde, and both of these substances are toxic to humans and are carcinogens. Tobacco smoke also does not improve air quality, it contains about 5 thousand organic compounds, many of which are carcinogenic and mutagenic. As scientists have shown, harmful substances from a smoked cigarette can be found indoors even after a month.

Having made an analysis of the air in a city apartment or office, you can detect about 40 thousand volatile organic substances. It is not so important where they came from: from the street or formed in the room itself - the important thing is that we have to breathe these “additives” every day, and this is very unhealthy.

To protect your home and office from street and domestic pollutants, Aerolife air purification systems are used, which allow you to pick up the “dirty” street air, remove all impurities from it and submit it to the room already cleaned, thereby creating a comfortable and safe air environment in the room.

*Main air pollutants in city streets.

	Sources of pollution	Major air pollutants
Carbon monoxide (CO)	1,0	Car, tobacco smoker
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)	0,04	Car, gas stove
Sulfur oxides (SOx)	0,05	CHP
Phenol	0,03
Formaldehyde	0,003	Furniture, building insulation
Styrene	0,002	Building insulation
Benzopyrene	0,000001	Automobile
Ozone (O3)	0,03	Office equipment, photochemical reactions
Lead	0,03	Diesel
aromatic hydrocarbons	0,012	Varnishes, paints, wallpaper, waste

— Selection of individual treatment and rehabilitation ★ — Selection of individual treatment and rehabilitation ★

Volatile drugs (VD) - Delirants - Inhalants

What are volatile drugs and why are they dangerous

Volatile drugs (inhalants, deliriants) are toxic substances of various chemical groups that are used by inhalation: aerosols, cleaning liquids, adhesives, varnishes, many solvents, gasoline, ether and other substances similar in toxicity. With the exception of tobacco and alcohol, insect sprayers came out on top in terms of use.

Such volatile drugs have properties to intoxicate a person, although they chemical composition dissolves in fats, thereby destroying the organs and tissues of the one who will inhale such a substance.

The basis of such drugs is usually:

• butane;
• propane;
• toluene;
• carbon tetrachloride;
• perchlorethylene;
• acetone;
• and similar substances.

Volatile drugs not on the list narcotic substances However, this does not make them less dangerous. In some countries (Sweden, for example), substances containing volatile drugs are strictly controlled and cannot be bought just like that.

Action of volatile drugs

Volatile drugs act in much the same way as surgical anesthesia or alcohol. There are a lot of such substances, but one thing unites them - they are able to dissolve fats. Gasoline, solvents, lighter gas thus destroy the entire nervous system, since it is there that a large amount of fat is concentrated. It is because of this that a person, inhaling vapors of deliriants, feels intoxicated.

Due to the fact that almost all narcotic inhalants are able to dissolve in fats, they tend to settle in the fatty tissues of the human body. This means that it will take a long time before the body can get rid of the drug. An experiment was conducted with styrene, in which a man inhaled 210 grams of styrene per 1 cubic meter for two hours. Compared to what drug addicts use, these dosages are extremely small. However, styrene remained in the body for at least 22 hours.

Volatile drugs, as mentioned above, tend to accumulate in the body, thereby destroying the tissue of nerve endings and the brain. Volatile substances enter the nervous system through the blood, and into the blood through the lungs when a person inhales narcotic vapors. From such intoxication, the cerebral cortex suffers first of all, followed by the cerebellum, and only then the medulla oblongata. However, if intoxication with volatile drugs reaches the medulla oblongata, there may be problems with a person’s breathing, and subsequently a fatal outcome.

Many drug addicts stop inhaling narcotic vapors before intoxication reaches the medulla oblongata, since the desired state is often reached much faster. But already at this stage, the drug addict may be tormented by vomiting or nausea. In addition, in avid drug addicts, such conditions occur very rarely. But this is by no means as good as it seems, because the absence of vomiting or nausea means a slowdown in a person’s normal physical reactions. Nausea or vomiting will definitely be, but much later. The longer and more often the addict inhales vapors of narcotic substances, the larger areas of the brain will be poisoned by them before nausea sets in.

Some of the intoxication is caused by the volatile drug itself, but it's also because the brain doesn't get enough oxygen. As a rule, intoxication comes very quickly, and it disappears at about the same speed. Intoxication lasts on average up to thirty minutes, after which no effect remains at all. Intoxication can last longer if high concentrations of various poisons are used by the drug addict, for example, using volatile drugs as soon as intoxication begins to release, or inhaling toxic fumes using a plastic bag.

Dependence on volatile drugs

Volatile drugs after some time of constant use in various ways cause dependence. Euphoria, which is so close and noticeable at the very beginning of the drug addict's journey, each time it takes longer and harder to achieve. Sometimes a person does not even notice himself that he has an attraction to inhale volatile drugs in a larger dosage than before.

It is at this stage that a strong dependence on volatile drugs appears, after which a person can no longer perceive reality as it really is. It becomes simply necessary for him to see reality distorted and euphoric, as it will turn out under the influence of a flying drug on the brain. In most cases, there is only mental dependence from substance abuse, when the need for a drug affects only state of mind person. But rarely there is a physical dependence, which is much more difficult to deal with.

The regular use of volatile narcotic substances leads a person to the fact that each time he wants to take more and more vapors, because as a result of taking the same dosage, a person becomes addicted and no longer feels the euphoria that was before.