Some Chemicals Found in SIPCOT Air, Their Levels & Health Effects – Sipcot Area

Name of the Chemical found and their reported value

Number of times it exceeds EPA region 6 Limits* and other remarks. (All locations are downwind of noted industrial sources. The chemicals found are likely to have but may not have originated from the industrial sources upwind of sample locations.)

Health Effects

Methylene Chloride

3700 micrograms/m3 – CUSECS Sample

300 micrograms/m3 – Shasun Sample 1

360 micrograms/m3 – Shasun Sample 2

905 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Cusecs Number 5

73 times above the limit in 1^st sample taken downwind of Shasun

88 times above the limit in 2^nd sample taken downwind of Shasun

Irritation eyes, skin; weakness, exhaustion, drowsiness, dizziness; numbness, tingle limbs; nausea; [potential occupational carcinogen]

Trichloroethene (aka Trichloroethylene)

780 micrograms/m3 – CUSECS Sample

140 micrograms/m3 – Asian Paints Sample

96 micrograms/m3 – Shasun Sample 2

709 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Cusecs Number 5

127 times above levels in sample taken downwind of Asian Paints

87 times above the limit in 2^nd sample taken downwind of Shasun

Irritation of eyes and skin; headache, visual disturbances, weakness and exhaustion, dizziness, tremor, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, dermatitis liver injury, carcinogen

Chloroform

350 micrograms/m3 – Shasun Sample 1

430 micrograms/m3 – Shasun Sample 2

80 micrograms/m3 – Tagros Sample

4166 times above the limit in 1^st sample taken downwind of Shasun

5119 times above the limit in 2^nd sample taken downwind of Shasun

952 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Tagros

Irritation of eyes, skin; dizziness, mental dullness, nausea, confusion; headache, weakness, exhaustion; anesthesia, enlarged liver [potential carcinogen]

Carbon Tetrachloride

15 micrograms/m3 – Shasun Sample 1

1500 micrograms/m3 – Tagros Sample

115 times above the limit in 1^st sample taken downwind of Shasun

11538 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Tagros

Irritation of eyes, skin, Central Nervous System depression, nausea, vomiting, liver, kidney injury, drowsiness, dizziness

Hydrogen Sulphide

874 micrograms/m3 – CUSECS Sample

7.36 micrograms/m3 – Shasun Sample 2

13.1 micrograms/m3 – Tagros Sample

874 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Cusecs Number 5

7.36 times above the limit in 2^nd sample taken downwind of Shasun

13.1 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Tagros

Irritation of eyes, respiratory system; coma, convulsion, conjunctivitis, eye pain, tears to eyes, dizziness, headache, weakness and exhaustion, insomnia, gastrointestinal disturbance

Benzene

21 micrograms/m3 – Tagros Sample

108 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Tagros

Irritation eyes, skin, nose, respiratory system; dizziness; headache, nausea, staggered gait; anorexia, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); dermatitis; bone marrow depression; [potential occupational carcinogen]

Vinyl Chloride

55 micrograms/m3 – Tagros Sample

250 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Tagros

Weakness, exhaustion; abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding; enlarged liver; pallor or cyanosis of extremities; liquid: frostbite; [potential occupational carcinogen]

1,2-Dichloroethane

1700 micrograms/m3 – Tagros Sample

22973 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Tagros

Irritation eyes, corneal opacity; central nervous system depression; nausea, vomiting; dermatitis; liver, kidney, cardiovascular system damage; [potential occupational carcinogen]

Acrolein

6.5 micrograms/m3 – Asian Paints Sample

320 times above the limit in sample taken downwind of Asian Paints

Irritation eyes, skin, mucous membrane; decreased pulmonary function; delayed pulmonary edema; chronic respiratory disease

Some Chemicals Found in SIPCOT Air, Their Levels & Health Effects