Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Research Paper - 6

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) - Research Paper Example Management of risks associated with exposure to PAHS depends on the levels and the duration of exposure. If an individual is exposed to acute high doses, decontamination and other supportive measures should be the basic objectives (Feng, Sun and Song, 2014). Decontamination should be carried out by washing up the individual and cleaning up the clothes. The skin of the victim should be thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water as soon as possible. The victim should also be isolated from a polluted environment to a place with clean air (Plant et al., 2012). Other supportive care such as pulmonary functional tests should be routinely carried out. X-rays to determine the level of damage to the lungs should be carried out also. For ocular contamination, the patient should be treated by irrigating the eye (Whitacre and Ware, 2008). If an individual has been exposed to low levels of PAHS for a long time, they eventually develop toxicity. For effective care, the patient should be taught about the risks associated with exposure to PAHS and how to avoid further exposure (Friis, 2008). They should be informed of the possibility of developing bronchogenic cancer and the additive effects of exposure to cigarette smoke and other related toxic agents. The parents should be made to follow-up periodic evaluations for treatment of symptoms associated with PAHS exposure. Risk communication to individuals exposed to PAHS should take into account the challenges associated with trying to maintain a balance between concern and undue alarm to the patient. This is because PAHS are complex, and hence it is impossible to predict their carcinogenicity based only on several of the components. Effective risk communication should involve a comprehensive education programme on the dangers of PAHS exposure. Medical surveillance of workers who are at the risk of exposure to PAHS should be done to inform them of the dangers of overexposure