Abstract
The present analyses were initiated to elucidate changes in types of prevalently used organic solvents in various solvent workplaces in Japan during the past 30years. Five publications on industrial solvent use were employed as databases, which were supplemented by solvent workplace surveys in 2010-2012; the surveys were conducted following regulation-stipulated procedures. In practice, data on 500-600 unit workplaces/year were available; the data were classified by types of solvent work according to the regulation. The use of aromatic solvents (typically toluene) has been gradually replaced in a recent few years with methyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol in surface coating workplaces, whereas toluene has been essentially most prevalent in printing and painting workplaces. In cleaning workplaces, the use of chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents was almost terminated in the years before 2000. The present study may be the first report to note that the prevalence of toluene use has been decreasing in surface coating workplaces to be replaced by alcohols, although toluene has been most prevalent in printing and painting workplaces. In cleaning workplaces, there was a substantial reduction in the use of chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents.
Highlights
Organic solvents are fundamental industrial chemicals employed in various workplaces
Five publications on industrial solvent use were employed as databases, which were supplemented by solvent workplace surveys in 2010–2012; the surveys were conducted following regulation-stipulated procedures
The present study may be the first report to note that the prevalence of toluene use has been decreasing in surface coating workplaces to be replaced by alcohols, toluene has been most prevalent in printing and painting workplaces
Summary
Organic solvents are fundamental industrial chemicals employed in various workplaces. Whereas the toxicities of organic solvents have been gradually understood in industrial communities through regulatory activities [1, 2], types of solvents in use are surveyed only on limited occasions and the annual changes in types of common solvents are seldom reported. This study group has been conducting solvent surveys repeatedly since 1980 [3,4,5,6,7]. The present analysis was initiated to elucidate possible changes in leading solvents in various types of solvent workplaces (printing, painting, etc.). The analysis covered the past 30-year period in Japan, by use of data published in literatures in combination with the results from supplemental surveys conducted in latest 3 years
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