Benzene and chronic dermatological disorders in gas station workers

Abstract

Introduction: benzene is an aromatic hydrocarbon belonging to gasoline compounds, it generates dermatological alterations in chronically exposed people, particularly gas station workers, being ranked as the second most prevalent pathology according to the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the United States, causing labor losses and economic losses. This compound enters the human body by inhalation; however, cutaneous absorption also occurs producing a drying of the fatty mantle causing several dermatopathies. Objective: to describe the chronic dermatological alterations caused by exposure to benzene in gas station workers. Methodology: narrative bibliographic review, using databases such as: PubMed, ProQuest, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Taylor & Fracis online, SciELO; we searched for original articles, bibliographic reviews, systematic reviews that were carried out from October 2012 to October 2022. Results: from the selected papers the most prevalent dermatopathies due to benzene exposure were atopic dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, allergic dermatitis, neoplasms, infections, skin irritation and hypersensitivity, mucosal irritation, rash, redness, skin swelling, allergic hypersensitivity reactions, cutaneous melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, skin dryness, pruritus, rash, red blisters with itching, burns. Conclusion: gas station workers chronically exposed to benzene have generated several dermatopathies, the most prevalent being 90 % atopic dermatitis.