Bitumen burns while comprising a small percentage of all types of
burns are troublesome. They affect persons engaged in gainful employment which the
burns then curtail, as well as requiring special attention because the substance adheres to the skin and is therefore difficult to remove. Ninety-two consecutive patients with such
burns who were admitted as in-patients over a 10-year period (1985-1995) have been reviewed. Most of the
burns occurred on a worksite and involved active young persons (mean age 29.6 years) the mean size of the
burn was 3.87 per cent TBSA, mainly affecting the upper extremities and hands. Mean hospitalization time was 10.6 days.
Bitumen burns are fully predictable and can easily be prevented by avoiding unsafe practice and/or equipment.
Bitumen is a general term for
petroleum-derived substances ranging from true
petroleum through so-called
mineral tars, to
asphalt.
Asphalt (Asphaltum) is a semi-solid mixture of several
hydrocarbons probably formed by the evaporation of the lighter or more volatile constituents. It is amorphous of low specific gravity, 1-2, with a black or brownish black colour and pitchy lustre. At room temperature it is solid becoming molten and spreadable when heated to 93 degrees C and over. Roofing
tars and asphalts are usually heated to temperatures of 232 degrees C to achieve desirable viscosities (e.g. for spraying), whereas lower temperatures are required for the manageable form to pave roads. Notable localities for asphaltum are the island of Trinidad and the Dead Sea region where lake asphaltums were long known to the ancient. Ironically, none of the 92 patients who were treated for
bitumen injuries in the 'Soroka' (Beer-Sheba, Israel) and 'Barzilai' (Ashkelon, Israel) Medical Centres (80 and 150 km from the lake respectively) had anything to do with the Dead Sea area.