About benzene

Brief exposure (5 to 10 minutes) to very high levels of benzene in the air (10,000 to 20,000 partsper-million) can result in death. Lower levels (700 to 3,000 parts-per-million) can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremor, confusion and unconsciousness. In most cases, people will stop feeling these effects when they are no longer exposed and begin to breathe fresh air.