These compounds have few characteristics in common, other than their intoxication effects and the behavioural effects they produce. Such volatile substances are often referred to as inhalants, a term which encompasses a diverse group of psychoactive chemicals that are defined by the route of administration, rather than their mechanism of action on the central nervous system or psychoactive effects. The use of volatile substances is unlike most other forms of drug use in that it involves various compounds contained in readily accessible domestic or commercial products.
These compounds, that are safe when used for their intended purposes, may cause intoxication and in some cases death when their vapours are deliberately concentrated and inhaled. The compounds used are volatile liquids or gases contained in domestic, industrial or medicinal products often freely available to the public in a range of shops, from the workplace or laboratories.
The products have suggestive names and are typically packaged in small glass bottles. The mode of action of these compounds is not well understood as is also the case for the volatile anaesthetics legitimately used in medical practice. It is the physical properties, such as volatility and fat solubility, of the compounds that determine their ability to be used as drugs. The chemical properties and consequently the degree to which they are metabolised may however be important in terms of morbidity because the metabolites may be toxic and cause lasting organ damage.
The intoxication induced by inhalation of volatile substances produces some behavioural effects similar to those due to alcohol.
Minutes after inhalation, dizziness, disorientation and a short period of excitation with euphoria are observed, followed by a feeling of light-headedness and a longer period of depression of consciousness. Marked changes in mental state are induced in people who misuse toluene and other solvents.
Most users report elevation of mood and hallucinations. Potentially dangerous delusions can occur, thoughts are likely to be slowed, time appears to pass more quickly, and tactile hallucinations are common.
These behavioural effects are accompanied by visual disturbances, nystagmus , incoordination and unsteady gait, slurred speech, abdominal pain and flushing of the skin. The duration of action varies greatly, depending largely on the volatility of the compound. The effects of butane last only a few minutes — requiring frequent repeated doses —whereas toluene is much longer acting more like alcohol requiring less frequent doses.
In the early s and s, the chemical most commonly associated with volatile substance abuse was toluene, which was found in glue. Company Registered No. Registered Charity No. All information on this site that has been through the Information Standard system is marked with the Information Standard logo.
Thanks for visiting re-solv. Do you feel your visit to our Re-solv website helped you today? Toggle navigation. Given the health and physical hazards associated with common VOC's, many companies have either reduced their use of these materials or substituted other, less hazardous, materials and processes. Substitution of this nature is called "green chemistry" as it also benefits the environment.
Other materials may emit enough vapor to exceed the permissible exposure limit PEL for inhalation. Always minimize your exposure to volatile chemicals by using engineering controls such as a fume hood or local exhaust ventilation. If those methods are not sufficient to protect you, be sure to use an approved respirator.
Overview of how to handle flammable, volatile, health hazardous, and corrosive chemicals at CU Boulder. Green Chemicals Alternative Purchasing Wizard at MIT - provides alternatives for some of the most commonly used hazardous solvents and substances in research laboratories. Requires Flash player. See also : boiling point , evaporation rate , vapor pressure , ventilation.
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