What is dangerous for hydrogen sulfide in the air for humans?

Not everyone knows that we encounter hydrogen sulphide quite often. Almost everyone knows about the existence of hydrogen sulfide sources. The water from them, bottled, falls into free sale. Many of us, on our own initiative or according to the prescriptions of doctors, took hydrogen sulphide baths. In large megacities there are industries whose by-product is the substance. Even Muscovites, it happens, very well feel its smell. Have you ever thought about whether hydrogen sulphide is dangerous for humans? And if so, in what quantities? Let's try to understand.

What is hydrogen sulphide?

Having opened the textbook of chemistry, it can be found out that hydrogen sulphide is hydrogen sulphide (H ₂ S). It is a gas without color, but with a sweetish taste and a disgusting smell reminiscent of rotten eggs. In water it dissolves extremely badly, but in alcohol it is very good. Heavier than air, but lighter than water. These are its chemical and physical qualities. Is hydrogen sulfide dangerous? Certainly. This gas is very toxic, easily ignited. But all this is only in large quantities. In small doses, this chemical is safely used by medics. It is necessary for the normal operation of the heart and blood vessels, without it there is no erection, it is an excellent antispasmodic, important for the nervous system and memory. With a deficiency of hydrogen sulfide, the risk of developing heart attacks, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases increases manyfold. Enter the body, he can not only through the airways, but also through the pores of the skin, while beneficially influencing it. So hydrogen sulphide baths (those to whom they were prescribed by a doctor) are useful and absolutely safe.

Where does hydrogen sulphide come from

In nature, this substance is contained in small amounts in natural gas, is a part of associated petroleum gas and, surprisingly, is found in the intestinal gases of humans and mammals. But there are a lot of volcanic emissions. It forms where the proteins that contain cysteine or methionine rot. In the cities, faulty or weak treatment plants of enterprises using hydrogen sulphide in production, or those where this substance is a by-product, are guilty of its appearance. When there is a gas discharge at such enterprises, unpleasant "scents" of rotten eggs stand in the air throughout the district, and people are indignant. What is dangerous hydrogen sulphide in the air? Is it just that it spoils the mood?

When does the poisoning begin?

Hydrogen sulphide has one peculiarity: it is possible to smell its nose only when it is as low as 0.03 μg / m3 in the air. At high concentrations, it seems to cut off our olfactory receptors, and we do not feel any unpleasant odor. So, on the one hand, it's good that we hear the smell of rotten eggs. And in a concentration of about 1000 mcg / cc. M of air comes almost instantaneous death. Intermediate amounts cause various diseases, for example, with a content of 75 μg / cc. M develop bronchitis (begins a characteristic cough) and keratoconjunctivitis, at 375 mcg / cc. M is pulmonary edema. That's how dangerous hydrogen sulphide is in the air. Of course, very few people from the townspeople, feeling the next blow with their noses, rush to measure its concentration. You can guess about it for health reasons.

What happens when there is constant (prolonged) contact with hydrogen sulphide

Of course, hydrogen sulphide, which is present in the air, is unpleasant to everyone. But especially miners, oilmen, metallurgists, workers of chemical and sugar factories, processing enterprises, factories on which let out cellophane and viscose suffer especially from it. What is the risk of hydrogen sulfide in the air for a person in contact with this gas for a long time?

For people working in hazardous industries or living in close proximity, physicians identify:

-chronic keratoconjunctivitis (inflammation of the cornea of the eyes and conjunctiva);

- problems with the lungs (frequent bronchitis) and with the nose (rhinitis);

- Gastrointestinal disorders;

- frequent causeless headaches;

- insomnia;

- dizziness and constant loss of strength;

- increased sweating;

- hypotension;

- a weak appetite;

- skin diseases (eczema, dermatitis).

When blood tests are taken, anisocytosis, monocytosis, anemia are detected.

Over time, people develop addiction to the smell of rotten eggs, but this does not affect the improvement of health.

What are the degrees of poisoning?

Breathing air containing hydrogen sulphide, you can seriously suffer. Especially if the gas concentrations are high. What is dangerous hydrogen sulphide in the air? To date, several degrees of poisoning have been identified.

1. Easy. Symptoms:

• Burning, aching in the eyes;
• Tearing;
• Irritation from light sources;
• Vomiting;
• Compulsive cough;
• Runny nose.

2. Average. To the above signs are added:

• headache;
• Profuse vomiting, nausea;
• dizziness;
• Strong weakness or, conversely, arousal;
• Coordination of movements is disrupted.

3. Heavy. Symptoms:

• Cyanotic complexion;
• Vomiting;
• suffocation;
• Disturbance of the heart rhythm.

Severe poisoning can lead to coma, and in some cases, to death.

Treatment

What is hydrogen sulphide and what is dangerous is now clear. But what if you still inhaled the fetid gas? With a mild form of poisoning, it is necessary to ensure:

• The influx of clean fresh air;
• Peace;
• Analgesics;
• Lotions with boric acid;
• To drip into eyes novocaine with adrenaline;
• Vitamins and preparations with iron.

With moderate and severe forms of the patient must be transported to the hospital. Treatment is carried out by intravenous injections with mitilene blue or chromosomal, other drugs. With cyanosis, heart failure, heart rhythm disturbances, injections of caffeine, cordamine and norepinephrine are made. With coma , reanimation therapy is performed.

Prevention

When the hydrogen sulfide enters the body in small quantities, vital systems react to it painlessly. A significant part of it breaks down into sulfur and sulfates and is subsequently excreted by the kidneys. With an exhalation about 7% of the incoming gas flows. Knowing how dangerous hydrogen sulphide is in the air, employees of enterprises should use personal protective equipment (respirators), regularly undergo medical examinations and comply with all safety regulations. At such enterprises, there must be control over the tightness of the production processes and compliance with environmental requirements.

All interested persons can make measurements of hydrogen sulphide content in their apartment. For this purpose, there are special devices, for example, a small and easy-to-use ANKAT-7631. You can adjust it to give an audible signal when the allowed (established) gas values are exceeded. You can also use the services of special laboratories.

Is hydrogen sulfide dangerous in the Black Sea?

Yes, it is dangerous if you swim at a depth of 150 meters or more, where there is nothing alive except bacteria. It is there, closer to the shores of our beloved Black Sea, "splashing" one more - hydrogen sulphide. The further from the coast, the safer depth decreases, reaching in the central zone to 50 meters. Hydrogen sulphide, though lighter than water, does not rise to the surface. Protects against this (according to scientists) high pressure of the upper layers. However, sometimes bubbles emerge, from which marine inhabitants suffer. Waves carry them ashore in huge quantities. For people, these gas emissions are not dangerous, at least until a single poisoning is recorded.

Some are afraid of an explosion of hydrogen sulfide (for example, from a lightning strike or from an underwater volcanic eruption). Scientists assure that this can not happen, since deep hydrogen sulphide is in a dissolved form.