Gasoline Poisoning: Symptoms, Causes, Effects & More - Healthline

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Medically reviewed by Lauren Castiello, MS, AGNP-C — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on April 7, 2023

Symptoms of gasoline poisoning
Causes
Immediate effects
Long-term effects
Emergency help
Outlook

Gasoline exposure can cause problems with your lungs, mouth, and stomach. It can also irritate or burn your skin. The severity depends on how long you’ve been exposed and the amount you were exposed to.

Gasoline is toxic. Exposure to it, either through inhalation or physical contact, can cause health problems.

It’s important to practice and enforce safe gasoline handling to prevent poisoning. The effects of gasoline poisoning can harm every major organ.

If you think you have gasoline poisoning

Inappropriate gasoline exposure warrants a call for emergency medical help. If you believe gasoline poisoning has occurred and you live in the United States or one of its territories, call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of gasoline poisoning

Swallowing gasoline can cause a wide range of problems for your vital organs. Symptoms of gasoline poisoning may include:

difficulty breathing
throat pain or burning
burning in the esophagus
abdominal pain
vomiting with or without blood
bloody stools
vision loss
dizziness
severe headaches
extreme fatigue
convulsions
body weakness
loss of consciousness

When gasoline comes into contact with your skin, you may experience redness, irritation, or burns.

Causes of gasoline poisoning

Gasoline contains methane and benzene, which are hydrocarbons.

Hydrocarbons are a type of dangerous organic substance made up of hydrogen and carbon molecules. Hydrocarbons are part of all sorts of modern substances, including:

motor oil
lamp oil
kerosene
paint
rubber cement
lighter fluid

The hydrocarbons are the reason why gasoline is poisonous. However, not all forms of gasoline exposure will lead to gasoline poisoning.

Pumping gasoline into your gas tank isn’t generally harmful. But accidentally touching liquid gasoline can harm your skin.

Perhaps one of the greatest risks of gasoline exposure is the harm it can do to your lungs when you inhale its fumes. Direct inhalation can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which is why you shouldn’t run a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage. Long-term exposure in the open can also damage your lungs.

Did you know?
Accidental gasoline consumption is far more widespread than intentionally swallowing the liquid.

Immediate effects on your health

Gasoline in both liquid and gas forms can adversely affect your health.

Swallowing gasoline can damage the inside of your body and cause permanent damage to major organs. If a person swallows a large amount of gasoline, it can even cause death.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is of particular concern, especially if you have a job where you operate gasoline-powered machines on a regular basis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), small, gas-powered engines are especially harmful because they emit high amounts of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is both invisible and odorless, so you may breathe in large quantities without even knowing it. This can cause permanent brain damage and death.

Long-term effects on your health

Some recent research has suggested that diesel, a byproduct of gasoline, increases the risk of lung cancer.

In 2012, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified diesel as carcinogenic to humans. More recent studies have reinforced the IARC’s findings.

When you regularly come into contact with fumes from diesel or gasoline, your lungs may start to deteriorate over time.Diesel is used primarily as fuel for trains, buses, and farm vehicles.

As diesel engines gain popularity because of their energy efficiency, people need to be more aware of their dangers. Follow these safety measures:

Don’t stand by exhaust pipes.
Don’t stand around gas fumes.
Don’t operate engines in enclosed areas.

Getting emergency help

Swallowing gasoline or excessive exposure to fumes warrants a visit to the emergency room or a call to a local poison control center. Until help arrives, the person should sit up and drink water unless instructed not to do so. Ensure that they’re in an area with fresh air.

Be sure to take these precautions as well:

In case of emergency

Don’t attempt to remedy the situation yourself. Always call for help first.
Don’t force vomiting.
Don’t give the person milk.
Don’t give liquids to an unconscious person.
Don’t leave the person and yourself exposed to gasoline fumes.

Outlook for someone with gasoline poisoning

The outlook for gasoline poisoning depends on the amount of exposure and how quickly a person gets treatment. The faster you get treatment, the more likely you are to recover without significant injury.

However, gasoline exposure always has the potential to cause problems in the lungs, mouth, and stomach.

Gasoline has undergone many changes to become less carcinogenic, but there are still major health risks associated with it. Always act with care when exposed to liquid gasoline and gasoline fumes.

If you suspect any exposure to the skin, or if you think an excess amount has been inhaled, call your local poison control center.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Carbon monoxide hazards from small gasoline powered engines. (2012).https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/co
Diesel exhaust and cancer. (2015).https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/diesel-exhaust-and-cancer.html
Gasoline explained. (2020).https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/gasoline
International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2012). IARC: Diesel engine exhaust carcinogenic [Press release].https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr213_E.pdf
Silverman DT. (2018). Diesel exhaust and lung cancer—Aftermath of becoming an IARC Group 1 carcinogen.https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/187/6/1149/4924564

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Medically reviewed by Lauren Castiello, MS, AGNP-C — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on April 7, 2023

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