Pyridine is a colorless or yellow liquid with a strong odor. Pyridine is a solvent for synthesizing other chemicals and producing medications, dyes, paints, insecticides, and rubber products.
Pyridine exposure can occur when workers breathe pyridine or come into touch with pyridine in businesses that make pyridine-based products. Pyridine can also be inhaled through the fumes of hot coffee or cigarette smoke.
Pyridine was traditionally extracted from coal tar or acquired as a byproduct of coal gasification. The procedure is labor-intensive and inefficient: because coal tar contains only around 0.1% pyridine, a multi-stage purification was necessary, further reducing production.
Nowadays, most pyridines are produced from ammonia, aldehydes, and nitriles, only a few of which are suitable for pyridine.
In 1989, the world produced 26,000 tonnes of pyridine. Other important derivatives include 2-, 3-, and 4-methylpyridines and 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine. The combined scale of these alkylpyridines is the same as that of pyridine.
Eleven of the top 25 pyridine production plants are situated in Europe (as of 1999). Evonik Industries, Rütgers Chemicals, Jubilant Life Sciences, Imperial Chemical Industries, and Koei Chemical are among the biggest pyridine producers.
Pyridine production rose dramatically in the early 2000s, with an annual capacity of 30,000 tonnes in mainland China alone. Vertellus, a US-Chinese joint company, is currently the world leader in pyridine manufacture.
Pyridine and pyridine-containing chemicals are found in trace amounts throughout the environment. Pyridine has been identified in the air within and near factories that manufacture it or utilize it to produce other products.
If you work in one of these factories or live or work near a hazardous waste site that emits it into the surrounding air, you may be exposed to pyridine. Pyridine is also emitted into the atmosphere by burning cigarettes and hot coffee.
Pyridine is not commonly found in rivers or other natural bodies of water. It was discovered in wells in a Wyoming industrial area. The pyridine levels in the well water were as high as 53 parts pyridine in 1 billion parts water.
Pyridine is rarely found in soil near hazardous waste dumps or in industrial locations. Pyridine was discovered in drinking water samples collected near hazardous waste sites and industrial regions. However, we are unaware of the levels. It can also be present in dishes like fried chicken, cheese, and bacon.
Although the amounts in these items are unknown, they are most likely quite low and are not expected to have any health consequences. Pyridine levels in frozen mango (a tropical fruit) were 1 part pyridine per million parts mango. If you consume these items or drink pyridine-containing water, you may be exposed to trace levels of pyridine.
Pyridine is primarily used as a precursor to the herbicides paraquat and diquat. The chlorination of pyridine is the initial step in manufacturing the pesticide chlorpyrifos.
Pyridine is also used as a starting material in producing pyrithione-based fungicides.
Cetylpyridinium and laurylpyridinium, which may be synthesized from pyridine via the Zincke reaction, are antiseptics used in oral and dental care products. Alkylating agents easily attack pyridine to produce N-alkylpyridinium salts. Cetylpyridinium chloride is one example.
Short-term pyridine exposure can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs, as well as burn the skin and eyes. Coughing, wheezing, headache, lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, and abdominal pain are all possible side effects of short-term exposure, whereas long-term Pyridine exposure can cause skin allergies, liver and kidney damage, and harm to unborn fetuses.
Pyridine can enter your body through air, water, food, or skin contact with the chemical. More than half of it is absorbed as it enters your body through your mouth.
Most of what is absorbed leaves your body in urine as pyridine or its breakdown products within one day. We have no idea what happened to the rest of it. There needs to be more information on what happens to pyridine that is inhaled or comes into contact with your skin.
Very few investigations have established the potential consequences of pyridine exposure on human health. Based on case reports and animal research, liver damage is the most serious health hazard for humans exposed to pyridine.
Other human health issues include neurological effects, renal impacts, and skin and eye irritation. We don’t know if pyridine can cause cancer, congenital disabilities, or reproductive issues.
Tests can be conducted to determine whether you have recently been exposed to pyridine. These tests detect pyridine levels in urine and blood.
They require specialized equipment and are performed in laboratories; thus, they are rarely available in a doctor’s office.
However, pyridine levels in urine or blood cannot be used to determine how much pyridine you were exposed to or whether certain adverse effects would develop.
To assist in safeguarding individuals from the potentially harmful impacts of pyridine on the environment, the federal government has established specific rules and guidelines.
The EPA has not established any limits on the quantity of pyridine that can be found in drinking water. For an 8-hour day, 40-hour work week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set an average air exposure level of 5 ppm.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has determined that 3,600 ppm in the air is immediately harmful to life and health (IDLH).
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), a non-governmental organization dedicated to worker protection, recommends five ppm for an 8-hour day.
Pyridine levels in urine and blood can be measured using medical tests. However, because these tests require specialized equipment, they are rarely conducted in ordinary doctors’ clinics. These tests cannot determine how much pyridine you were exposed to or whether you were harmed.
The EPA requires that discharges or unintentional spills of 1,000 pounds or more of pyridine into the environment be recorded. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits using pyridine as a flavoring agent in food preparation.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established a 5-part pyridine per million parts of working air (5 ppm) occupational exposure limit for an 8-hour workday over a 40-hour workweek.
For pyridine exposure levels in the workplace, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) have set the same guidelines as OSHA.
According to NIOSH, 1,000 ppm is deemed immediately threatening to life and health. This is the degree of chemical exposure likely to result in permanent health damage or death.
If you suspect you or a loved one become ill due to Pyridine exposure, you should consult an expert class action attorney near you. An attorney can assist you in determining who is to blame for your pyridine exposure and obtaining appropriate compensation for your injuries.
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