Chances of long-term impact are less: AIIMS Director on styrene gas leak in Vizag plant

New Delhi [India], May 7 : AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Thursday said that the chances of the long-term impact of styrene gas, which leaked from a gas plant in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam, are less.
Asked whether its impact can be long-term as was in 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, Dr Guleria said, "The chances of long-term impact are less because this 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 a significant long-term effect."
He also said, "This is an unfortunate incident. It's compound styrene... It can basically cause harm to humans by inhalation, by injection, by affect on the skin and affect on the eyes, what we call ocular effect. From inhalation, it can cause irritation in the throat, which can lead to coughing. It can lead to breathing difficulty and wheezing or a whisling sound in the chest. If the inhalation is at a higher level, it can lead to breathlessness and respiratory distress."
Dr Guleria stated that the absorption of this compound can also lead to CNS depression, that is, it affects the brain leading to headache, nausea, vomiting, weakness, fatigue. In high exposure, it can lead to coma, pulmonary edema and irregular heartbeat.
"Effect on the skin is mild in the form of irritation, itching, some degree of dermatitis can happen," he said.
As far as treatment is concerned, there is no specific antidote, Dr Guleria said and added that there is no definite medicine for reversing the effect of this compound and treatment does remain mainly supportive.
Styrene gas had leaked in the gas plant of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district early this morning which claimed 11 lives.