Anti-rust product poisoning
Anti-rust product poisoning occurs when someone breathes in or swallows anti-rust products. These products may be accidentally breathed in (inhaled) if they are used in a small, poorly ventilated area, such as a garage.
This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.
Poisonous Ingredient
Anti-rust agents contain different poisonous substances, including:
- Chelating agents
- Hydrocarbons
- Hydrochloric acid
- Nitrites
- Oxalic acid
- Phosphoric acid
Where Found
Various anti-rust products
Symptoms
Anti-rust product poisoning can cause symptoms in many parts of the body.
EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT
- Loss of vision
- Severe pain in the throat
- Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM
- Blood in the stool
Blood in the stool
Black or tarry stools with a foul smell are a sign of a problem in the upper digestive tract. It most often indicates that there is bleeding in the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Burns of the throat (esophagus)
- Severe abdominal pain
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Vomiting
- Vomiting blood
Vomiting blood
Vomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...
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HEART AND BLOOD
- Collapse
- Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Methemoglobinemia (very dark blood from abnormal red blood cells)
Methemoglobinemia
Methemoglobinemia (MetHb) is a blood disorder in which an abnormal amount of methemoglobin is produced. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Too much or too little acid in the blood, which leads to damage in all of the body organs
KIDNEYS
- Kidney failure
Kidney failure
Acute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...
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Many of the most dangerous effects of poisoning from anti-rust products come from inhaling the substance.
LUNGS AND AIRWAYS
- Breathing difficulty
- Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
- Asphyxia (state of having insufficient oxygen in the blood)
- Chemical pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung)
Pneumonitis
Chemical pneumonitis is inflammation of the lungs or breathing difficulty due to inhaling chemical fumes or breathing in and choking on certain chemi...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Secondary bacterial or viral infection
- Hemorrhagic pulmonary edema
- Respiratory distress or failure
- Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax
A collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lung. The air then fills the space outside of the lung between the lung and chest wall. This buil...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Pleural effusion
Pleural effusion
A pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid between the layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Empyema
Empyema
Empyema is a collection of pus in the space between the lung and the inner surface of the chest wall (pleural space).
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NERVOUS SYSTEM
- Agitation
- Coma
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Incoordination
- Somnolence
Somnolence
Drowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Headache
- Blurred vision
- Weakness
- Brain damage from low oxygen level
SKIN
- Burns
- Irritation
- Holes (necrosis) in the skin or tissues underneath
Necrosis
Necrosis is the death of body tissue. It occurs when too little blood flows to the tissue. This can be from injury, radiation, or chemicals. Necro...
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Home Care
Seek medical help right away. Do not make a person throw up unless told to do so by the poison control center or a health care professional.
If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.
If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed otherwise by a health care provider. Do not give water or milk if the person is having symptoms (such as vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.
If the person breathed in the poison, immediately move them to fresh air.
Before Calling Emergency
Get the following information:
- Person's age, weight, and condition
- Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known)
- Time it was swallowed
- Amount swallowed
Poison Control
Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.
Poison control center
For a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleThis is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What to Expect at the Emergency Room
The provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. You may receive:
- Blood and urine tests
- Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth and into the lungs, connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)
- Bronchoscopy -- a small camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Chest x-ray
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Electrocardiogram
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Endoscopy -- a small camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
Endoscopy
Endoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Fluids through the vein (by IV)
- Methylene blue -- a medicine to reverse the effect of the poison
- Surgical removal of burned skin (skin debridement)
- Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
Gastric lavage
Gastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days
Outlook (Prognosis)
How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster the person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.
Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage continues to occur to the kidneys, liver, esophagus, and stomach for several weeks after the substance was swallowed. The outcome depends on this damage.
Reviewed By
Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Hoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 143.
Kuschner WG, Blanc PD. Acute responses to toxic exposures. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 103.
Tibballs J. Paediatric poisoning and envenomation. In: Bersten AD, Handy JM, eds. Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 114.