Long-term health effects due to styrene vapour exposure less: AIIMS director

New Delhi, May 7

The chances of long-term health effects because of exposure to styrene vapour, which leaked from a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, are less, and illnesses caused by the gas was not universally fatal, AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said on Thursday.

As far as the treatment was concerned, there was no specific antidote or a definite medicine for reversing the effect of this compound, he said, adding that therapy remained mainly supportive.

As many as 11 people have died and 1,000 others exposed to styrene vapour that leaked from a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Thursday and quickly spread to villages in the five-kilometre radius.

A large number of people had been admitted to a hospital, with most being in a stable condition, and hopefully would make a good recovery, Dr Guleria said.

Replying to whether the impact of the exposure can be long-term as was in the Bhopal gas tragedy, Dr Guleria said, “The gas doesn’t stay for a very long time. The chances of long-term impact are less as the compound metabolises and leaves the body quickly. This is an acute exposure rather than a chronic exposure. But we will have to follow up and see. As of now, the data doesn’t suggest any significant long-term effect.”

Those, who have had a very close exposure, are the ones with a higher chance of experiencing severe effects, he said, adding that a house-to-house visit in the surrounding areas had been initiated to see if anybody had developed medical problems.

Dr Guleria said inhalation and ingestion of styrene could affect the skin and the eyes.

“Absorption of this compound can affect the central nervous system causing headache, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. People become unsteady, have difficulty in walking and sometimes also can fall over. High exposure can lead to coma, pulmonary edema and irregular heartbeat,” he said, adding the syndrome was known as styrene sickness.

“Effect on the skin is usually mild and in the form of irritation, itching and some degree of dermatitis. It causes irritation in the airways, and depending on the degree of the exposure, the effect can be much higher,” the AIIMS director added.

He said the first thing that had to be done was to remove individuals from the affected area, as had been done aggressively. Eyes needed to be washed with water while tissues or towel could be used to clean the deposition in the skin, Dr Guleria added.

“Individuals have to be monitored for any breathing difficulty or drowsiness because the compound can affect the lungs and the brain,” he said

“The main treatment strategy is to watch out for any breathing difficulty and airway management. Some of these patients will be required to be incubated and put on ventilator. Many will just require oxygen therapy and can be monitored in terms of their oxygen requirement, respiratory rate and their CNS depression,” Dr Guleria added.

At a press briefing, the Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SN Pradhan, said leakage from the factory was now minimal but the force’s personnel would be at the spot till it was totally plugged.

Pradhan said 500 people belonging to 200 to 250 families living in a 3-km radius had been moved to safer places.

Kamal Kishore, member, National Disaster Management Authority, said about 1,000 people living in nearby areas of the factory had been exposed to the gas leak. PTI