Liquid fuels such as petrol

Properties and toxicological effect:

Petrol (also known as gasoline) is harmful to health, highly flammable and environmentally hazardous. It may contain benzene – a carcinogenic substance which we are also exposed to in cigarette smoke. Benzene can be absorbed readily via the skin and lungs.

Petrol has a low viscosity and is highly volatile. This means it is an extremely thin fluid and evaporates easily. These properties make it extremely easy for this fluid to reach the trachea upon swallowing and thereby reach the respiratory tract (aspiration), potentially causing acute coughing and/or respiratory distress. This can lead to chemical pneumonitis (aspiration pneumonia).

What should you do in an emergency?

If petrol has been swallowed:

• Do not induce vomiting.
• Rinse mouth.
• Drink 100 – 200 ml of clear, fat-free fluid e.g. water.
• If there are any signs of aspiration such as a persistent cough with respiratory distress, seek immediate medical help, from paramedics if necessary (dial 144 for the emergency services in Switzerland).
  
  

Petrol splash in the eye:

• Remove contact lenses.
• Immediately rinse out the eye with clean, lukewarm water for 10 – 15 minutes.
  When washing, keep the eyelids open with your fingers, pouring the water from a distance of about 10 cm from the corner to the outside of the eye.
• If your child is affected: Ask someone to help when washing the eye.
• In case of doubt, ask an optician or Tox Info Suisse.
  
  

Inhalation of petrol fumes:

• Remove the affected person to fresh air.
• Move to fresh air.

Petrol on skin:

• Immediately remove the wet clothing.
• Wash the affected skin parts with copious amounts of flowing, clean and lukewarm (soapy) water.
• In case of irritation, treat as you would a burn or sunburn.

After swallowing small quantities:

• Burning in mouth, retching or coughing.
• Mild gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) and persistent belching.
• If petrol reaches the lungs: acute coughing, respiratory problems to distress, chemical pneumonia (aspiration pneumonia).
  Note: In rare cases, pulmonary symptoms can first appear up to three days later.
  
  

After splashes in the eye:

• Rapid, usually mild irritation: Redness, tearing, burning.
• The symptoms and progression depend significantly on rapid, extensive (10–15 minutes) and proper eye washing.

After skin contact:

• For one-off, brief contact with skin and thorough washing, petrol will only be irritating and degrease your skin, you do not need to worry about burns.

Inhalation of petrol fumes:

• Generally mild and temporary symptoms such as dizziness, light-headedness, headaches and nausea.
• Slight irritation to the airways causing e.g. coughing, mild respiratory symptoms.
• For prolonged and more intense exposure, particularly in closed spaces: Loss of consciousness, cardiac arrhythmia, in the worst-case scenario this could cause sudden heart failure. 

Petrol in the mouth or after swallowing petrol:

• For persistent coughing, respiratory problems and severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
  Note: In rare cases, pulmonary symptoms may appear up to three days later. 
  
  

Petrol splash in the eye: 

• In the event of symptoms such as feeling as if a foreign body is present in the eye, severe redness or pain that persist after washing or get worse.
  
  

Inhalation of petrol fumes:

• Usually symptoms quickly subside after leaving the source of the hazard and getting fresh air.
• In the case of severe symptoms such as loss of consciousness, call an ambulance (dial 144 for emergency services in Switzerland).

Vorsicht im Umgang mit Motorenbenzin Take care when handling petrol (bag.admin.ch) in German, French, Italian: With a factsheet, flyer and advice column about petrol (last modified on 08.08.2018). 

Additional articles by Tox Info Suisse

If you need to syphon petrol, don’t do it by mouth!
Filled your vehicle with the wrong fuel? Anyone thinking they can simply drain the tank and syphon off the petrol by sucking it through a hose is often in for a nasty surprise.

March 2025