Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
John,Am I correct that acetone is safer?JackDSM _____

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: Short version safety lecture on solvent safetyand ha...Simple answer: you are correct from purely an exposure value, however it may have some other more dangerous effects that are not captured by just TLV numbers so you have to look at the whole animal in making a safe judgment call. Flammability, toxicity, carcinogenic, acute and chronic effects just a full set of variables.The easiest place to locate and determine information on toxic substance comes again from the MSDS. If you look at exposure information it will provide you values in terms of TLV or THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUES. Those are presentedin amounts that can be listed in ration form as ppm parts per million ppb billion, Mg/m3 Milligrams of material per cubic meter of air. When looking at that information one has to realize how to interpret the data. for example the smaller or lower the tlv the more toxic the substance as shown inthe simple chart below. It does give you an idea as to when all things are held constant and equal the TLV for each substance differs based upon its level of toxicity in terms of how little it takes to have an effect on the human body.ACGIH recommends 500 ppm TLV Acetone 400 ppm TLV Ethyl Ether 100 to 200 ppm TLV MEK 100 ppm TLV Mineral spirits 50 ppm TLV MIBK 50 ppm TLV Toluene .5ppm TLV BenzeneNot that any of these are any good for you, however from a basic exposure standpoint Acetone is the least toxic as determined by its TLV only. With the higher value it represents the statement that it takes more airborne acetone to be hazardous to your health than it does MIBK or benzene which by the numbers is 1000 time more toxic in and by comparison.The other great information source is a document called the Registry of toxic effects of chemical substances RTECS and the NIOSH guide you can get some really good information on the subject. RTECS also provides information in terms of the LD 50 or lethal dose of a material. Sorry to bet his one to death its getting late my apologiesJohnIn a message dated 9/2/2010 9:34:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jack@textors.com writes:John, Am I correct that acetone is safer? Jack DSM ____________________________________