This emission, which is also called a release, does not always lead to exposure. You can be exposed to a chemical only when you come into contact with the chemical. You may be exposed to it in the environment by breathing, eating, or drinking substances containing the chemical or from skin contact with it. If you are exposed to a hazardous substance such as xylene, several factors will determine whether harmful health effects will occur and what the type and severity of those health effects will be. Xylene is primarily a man-made chemical.
Chemical industries produce xylene from petroleum and to a smaller extent from coal.
Xylene also occurs naturally in petroleum and coal tar, and is formed during forest fires. It is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. Mixed xylene is a mixture of the three forms of xylene and smaller amounts of other chemicals, primarily ethylbenzene. Xylene is used as a solvent in the printing, rubber, and leather industries, and as a cleaning agent. It is also found in airplane fuel and gasoline, and is used as a material in the chemical, plastic, and synthetic fiber industries, and as an ingredient in the coating of fabrics and papers.