What is toluene used for?
What is toluene used for?
Toluene is found naturally in crude oil, and is used in oil refining and the manufacturing of paints, lacquers, explosives (TNT) and glues. In homes, toluene may be found in paint thinners, paintbrush cleaners, nail polish, glues, inks and stain removers.
How toxic is toluene?
Health Effects Toluene is irritating to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. It can cause systemic toxicity by ingestion or inhalation and is slowly absorbed through the skin. The most common route of exposure is via inhalation.
Is toluene banned?
Toluene, which is a chemical that is used in paint thinners, is known to migrate between layers of packaging and potentially cause damage to liver and kidneys in humans. Though widely used in India to print on packaging materials, toluene is banned in food industry across the developed nations.
What is xylene used for?
It is primarily used as a solvent (a liquid that can dissolve other substances) in the printing, rubber, and leather industries. Along with other solvents, xylene is also widely used as a cleaning agent, a thinner for paint, and in varnishes.
Is toluene the same as acetone?
Toluene is a little more than half as strong as acetone and butanone. Toluene is one of the primary ingredients found in paint thinner. Toluene is also used to dissolve adhesives, rubber and sealants.
How does toluene affect the body?
Toluene (C₆H₅CH₃) is a colorless liquid with a sweet, pungent odor. Exposure to toluene can cause eye and nose irritation, tiredness, confusion, euphoria, dizziness, headache, dilated pupils, tears, anxiety, muscle fatigue, insomnia, nerve damage, inflammation of the skin, and liver and kidney damage.
Why is toluene bad for humans?
Without proper ventilation and safety precautions, toluene can cause irritated eyes, nose, and throat; dry or cracked skin; headache, dizziness, feeling of being drunk, confusion and anxiety.
Is toluene bad for humans?
CNS depression has been reported to occur in chronic abusers exposed to high levels of toluene. Chronic inhalation exposure of humans to toluene also causes irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes, sore throat, dizziness, and headache.
Why is acetone banned?
Acetone is classified as a carcinogen, and a hazardous waste material, as well as having low levels of chronic toxicity. The United States should ban the use of Acetone as a household product, due to the various conditions that it may cause, as some may leave permanent damage.
Is xylene cancerous?
Toluene and xylene. While no direct human evidence is available, there is recent evidence of carcinogenicity of toluene and xylene at high concentrations in experimental animals.
What is stronger acetone or xylene?
The key difference between xylene and acetone is that xylene is a cheap and less toxic solvent, whereas acetone is an expensive and more toxic solvent. Both xylene and acetone are important as solvents in chemistry laboratories.