SOLVENT AND VAPOURS

_PRESENTATION BY : RONAK ANTALA,

SUBJECT OF BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

PAPER -408,

CLASSIFICATION OF TOXICANTS

• HEAVY METALS

• SOLVENTS AND VAPORS

• RADIATION AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

• DIOXIN/ FURANS

• PESTICIDES

• PLANT TOXINS

• ANIMAL TOXINS

COMES IN CONTECT BY

• AIR PLLUTANTS

• OCCUPATION RALATED AGENTS

• ACUTE AND CHRONIC POISONS

SOLVENTS AND VAPOURS

• Liquid organic chemicals used to dissolve solid materials.

• Made up of natural sources such as turpentine and the citrus solvents, but most are

derived from petroleum or other synthetic sources.

• Used to dissolve materials like resins and plastics

• Disperse material which is in soluble in water

• Used in paints, varnishes, lacquers, inks, aerosol sprays, dyes, adhesives

• Because they evaporate quickly and cleanly

FACTS….

• NO SAFER SOLVENTS…….. NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC ….

• TOXIC…….

• TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY TRACT, NECROTIC EFFECT ON THE

NERVOUS SYSTEM

• DAMAGE TO INTERNAL ORGANS LIKE LIVER, KIDNEY (both ACUTE and CHRONIC

effects)

SAD EVENTS

• 1994, Lundberg, reported the “Possible signs of liver dysfunction” in workers, work in

trades for at least 10 yrs before 1970.

• Bhopal disaster:- The world worst industrial disaster, at night of 2-3 December 1984 at

Union Carbide India Limited, a pesticide plant.

• 5,20,000 people exposed with methyl isocyanate gas

• More than 1,00,000 permanent injuries, more than 2000 death in first week and 3,787

total deaths

……

• Chlorofloro carbon developed in 1930 as safe, non toxic, non

flammable

• alternative for ammonia as cooling agent

• BUT

• CFCs introduced chlorine into the ozone layer …… increase

UV to our ecological system

HOW SOLVENT AFFECTS US…..

• SKIN CONTECT:-

Solvents can dissolve the skin’s protective barrier of oils,

drying and chapping the skin and cause dermatitis, BURNS,

IRRITATION.

Natural solvents like turpentine and limonene cause skin allergies.

Some solvents may cause no symptoms, penetrate the skin, enter

the blood stream, travel in body and damage the other organ.

EYE AND RESPIRATORY TRACT

•Solvent vapours, irritate and damage

the eye, nose and throat

•Solvent inhalation cause damage

lungs, respiratory tract infection,

chronic bronchitis… nose bleed,

running eyes and sore throat,

chemical pneumonia and death

REPRODUCTIVE HAZARD AND BIRTH DEFECTS

• Miscarriages, birth defects and reproductive

problems….

Eg.. 1) Glycol ethers present in photographic chemical,

liquid water based cleaning products, some inks and

water based paints, aerosol sprays..

Women work in these department , having 13 folds risk

major malformation and risk for miscarriage in previous

pragnancies.

IMPORTANT PROPERTIES

• THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE – Exposure concentration

below which a defined effect will not occur.

• ODOR THRESHOLD (ppm)- Level at which most

people tested detect the odour. This show the higher

concentration.

….

• FLASH POINT (Fahrenheit)- It is lowest temperature at

which a solvent gives off sufficient vapour to form an

ignitable mixture with air near its surface…

• EVAPORATION RATE- This is the rate at which a

material will vaporize(volatilize, evaporate) from the

liquid or solid state when compared to another material.

(slow, fast and medium)

CLASSES OF SOLVENTS ACCORDING TO FUNCTIONAL GROUPS

1.. Alcohol

2.. Aliphatic hydrocarbon

3.. Amide/amine

4.. Aromatic hydrocarbon

5..chlorinated hydro carbons

……

6.. Ester or acetates

7.. Glycols

8.. Glycol ester (cellosolves) or their acetates

9.. Ketons

10.. miscellineous

RULES FOR CHOOSING SAFER SOLVENTS

1.. High threshold limit

2.. Low evaporation rate

3.. High flash point

4.. Low toxic effect solvent

RULES FOR SOLVENTS USE

1.. Replace oil based solvents…. With water

based product

2.. Use least toxic solvents

3.. At work place follow the OSHA hazard

communication law

4.. Avoid breathing

5.. Protect eye…. Wear standardized goggles

…….

7.. Prepare for spills… use solvent absorber

8.. Use and dispose of solvents in accordance with local

or federal regulation

PETROLEUM ETHER

• Used in laboratories

• Toxic effect on Central Nervous System and dermatological

system

• Inhalation cause CNS, Digestive system, Respiratory system

• Solvent for oil, fats and Wax, As fuels in paints, varnishes and

in photography.

• Chlorohydrocarbons replaced with petroleum ether in dry

cleaning…

cheaper, lessflammable

METHANOL

• Absorbed by Skin, Respiratory, GIT,

• Responsible Acidosis, Blindness, Death

• Severe human poisoning oral route(30min-60 min)

• Other effect by inhalation, Haemorrhages in to brain

DIETHYL ETHER

• Used in production of gum powder, primer for gasoline

engines

• Extrapolated vapour pressure of 538mm Hg at 25

Celsius, present as vapour in atmosphere

• Degrade by reaction with photochemical producing

hydroxyl radicals and nitrate radicals

• General population come contact by inhalation,

contaminated water

BENZENE

• Used for production of ethyl benzene, cumin and

cyclohexane

• Chronic inhalation leads Aplastic anaemia, leukaemia

and multiple myeloma

• Acute exposure anaesthesia may develop at

concentration above 3000ppm

• At 1000ppm cause giddiness, euphoria, nausea,

headache, arrhythmias.

ACETONE

• Highly volatile, flammable, polar and aprotic solvent

• Used as cleaning agents in biomedical/pharmaceutical

laboratory

• Repeated administration cause Increased white blood

cell counts, increase eosinophil and decrease

phagocytic activity of neutrophils

• Shortening of menstrual cycle, premature menstrual

periods, miscarriage and weakness of labor activity

MERCURY

• Vapour inhalation cause CNS defects

• Kidney damage at low and long time exposure

• By oral route it accumulate in body tissue, damaging

nervous system

• Methyl mercury can easily cross the Blood Brain

Barrier…. And cause harmful effect to children

REASON FOR LABORATORY ACCIDENTS

Speaking

•Eating

•Mobiles

•Electronic devices

LABORATORY ACCIDENT PREVENTION

1. Training

2. Limit of purchase and storage

3. Disposal of wastage and elimination of potential

hazards

4. Monitoring and reporting

5. First aid measures:

“AVOID WORKING ALONE IN LABORATORY”

REFERENCES

• Solvent by Monona Rossol, Newyork

• Review on Adverse Health Effects Laboratory Volatile

Solvents

• BOOK:- Toxicology by Cassarett

THANK YOU