Health Hazards: If one is exposed to octane for long periods of time, one may experience eye and nose irritation, drowsiness, dermatitis, and chemical pneumonia.

Reaction Tendencies: Because carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds are so strong alkanes (including octane) are pretty unreactive. Therefore, at room temperature they do not react with acids and strong bases; but at high temperatures, alkanes are combustible (flammable). Branched-chain alkanes combust more efficiently because their bonds are weaker from the strained angles of the bonds. Alkanes can also undergo replacement (or substitution) reactions and dehydrogenation rearctions where hydrogen atoms are removed from the alkane to leave an unsaturated molecule.