Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 9.4:
The environmental effects of solvents used in the building industry
Solvent
Environmental effects
Aromates:
Xylene
Irritates mucous membranes; can damage the heart, liver, kidneys
and nervous system
Toluene
Irritates mucous membranes; can damage the nervous system
Benzene
Carcinogenic; mutagenic
Styrene
Mutagenic; irritates mucous membranes
Aliphatic substances:
Generally irritate skin and inhalation routes; can act as promotor for
Paraffin
carcinogenic substances
Naphthene
n-hexame
Chlorinated hydrocarbons:
Generally highly poisonous to the majority of organs; irritate mucous
Dichloroethane
membranes; can damage the liver and kidneys; carcinogenic;
Trichloroethane
mutagenic; narcotic
Trichloroethylene
Alcohols
(1)
:
Generally irritate mucous membranes; large doses can damage
Ethanol
the foetus
Propanol
Methanol
Isopropanol
Butanol
Esters:
Generally irritate mucous membranes; medium strong nerve
Butyl acetate
poisons; mutagenic
Ethyl acetate
Methyl acetate
Ether alcohols:
Generally weak nerve poisons; can slightly damage the foetus
Methyl glycol
Ethyl glycol
Ketones:
Generally weak nerve poisons; can slightly damage the foetus
Methyl keton
Methyl isobutyl ketone
Acetone
Terpenes
(2)
:
Slighty allergenic; slightly irritates mucous membranes; slightly
Limonen
acting as promotor for carcinogenic substances
Turpentine
(1) Can be produced by plants.
(2) Produced by plants
Plastics in building
During the last 20 years distillates from oil and natural gas, mainly naphtha,
have become almost the only raw material used in the plastics industry.
