Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Municipal Building Study), and (2) eye/nose/throat irritation, tight
chest/difficulty breathing, and fatigue/sleepiness (California Healthy Build-
ing Study). Both studies showed a relationship between the number of
contacts or contact hours with CCP per day and symptom prevalence.
There is significant evidence from epidemiological and exposure studies
and complaint investigations that CCP has the potential to cause a variety
of symptoms, including SBS-type symptoms. It has, however, proven very
difficult to isolate chemicals that may be causing reported symptoms and
definitively link symptoms to specific CCP materials. This may be due to
the fact that (1) components differ in manufacturing formulations, (2) addi-
tional chemical substances are introduced by printing companies using base
CCP paper, (3) there are a large number of commercially available com-
pounds used in CCP papers, (4) compounds are released and new com-
pounds produced when CCP is used, (5) formulations change with time,
and (6) exposed individuals often handle a diverse mix of CCP products.
Exposure to CCP does not appear to be associated with contaminants
released into the general air environment of buildings. There is limited
evidence to indicate that symptoms are due to dermal contact or very local-
ized (breathing zone) exposure.
Several studies have indicated that office exposures
to a variety of paper types cause symptoms in users. These include skin
symptoms from carbon paper, and mucous membrane and general symp-
toms associated with handling large quantities of ordinary bond paper.
Extensive studies of emissions from electrostatically copied, and laser-
and matrix-printed paper have been conducted. Results are summarized in
products, they may have originated from both the paper and toner. The most
commonly observed compounds were benzene, 1-butanol, toluene, hexanal,
1-butyl ether, ethyl benzene,
b.
Other papers.
-xylene, styrene, 2-phenylpropane,
ethyl toluene isomers, benzaldehyde, diethylbenzene isomers, and 2-ethyl-
hexyl acrylate.
The significance of such emissions on the health of individuals handling
large quantities of these papers is not known. Studies associated with han-
dling bond paper (which is likely to have been copied or used for printing)
and studies with laser printers and electrostatic copiers suggest that such
exposures may contribute to SBS-type symptom complaints.
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2.
Office equipment
Exposure to irritating substances may occur as a consequence of using office
equipment such as electrophotographic printers, a variety of duplicators,
laser printers and copiers, microfiche, blueprint and signature machines, and
computers. Individual pieces of office equipment may represent significant
point sources, with exposure primarily to individuals working with them or
to those nearby. Since chemicals may be transferred to paper surfaces,
