n-Hexane

CAS number 110-54-3

Description

n-Hexane is a chemical made from crude oil. Pure n-Hexane is a colourless liquid with a slightly disagreeable odour. It is highly flammable, and its vapours can be explosive. Other common names for n-hexane are hexane and hexyl hydride. n-Hexane is naturally present in crude oil and natural gas and is a constituent of heating and motor fuels refined from petroleum.

Uses

n-Hexane is a solvent widely used as an industrial cleaner and degreaser and is an ingredient in many consumer products. n-Hexane is mainly used in the food processing industry to extract vegetable oil from various seed crops such as soybeans, peanuts and flaxseed. It is also used as a laboratory solvent, in the production of pharmaceuticals, as a cleaning agent and in rubber production. n-Hexane is also used in other products such as adhesives and lacquers.

It is released into the environment from vehicle emissions; n-hexane may also enter the environment from industries in which it is used.

People are exposed to n-hexane because it is often found in air, water, food, and soil. Hexane evaporates easily, so breathing contaminated air during the manufacture and use of the chemical is the most common form of exposure. People living near workplaces where hexane is manufactured or used, or near hazardous waste sites containing hexane, can be exposed when the solvent is released into the surrounding air. And anyone can be exposed when using the many household products that contain hexane. Workers using products that contain hexane without appropriate ventilation and protective equipment can be exposed to levels that cause nerve damage.

Why it can be problematic for human and animal health

Exposure is usually by inhalation from the air, indoors and outdoors.

n-Hexane is shown in scientific literature as being associated with the following chronic health impacts:

Can cause gastrointestinal upset
Can cause damage to reproductive system, specifically male testes, shown in animal studies
Can cause respiratory damage to lung cells
Easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin, hexane has been recognized for more than 40 years to cause long-lasting and even permanent nerve damage in feet, legs, hands, and arms – peripheral neuropathy, and other neurotoxic effects.

Acute exposure of humans to n-hexane through inhalation may cause headache, dizziness, drowsiness, incoordination and euphoria. Ingestion can cause stomach upset. skin contact with n-hexane may cause irritation, redness, blistering and superficial burns. Eye exposure may cause pain, tearing and sensitivity to light.

Please note any adverse health effects that you may encounter in exposure to a chemical depend on several factors, including the amount to which you are exposed (dose), the way you are exposed, the duration of exposure, the form of the chemical and if you were exposed to any other chemicals.