Organic solvents, containing carbon, are used in various industries from cleaning to paint thinners and insecticides. They dissolve materials and perform the natural function of a solvent. However, they are harmful to humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Laws regulate their use, and protective clothing is necessary for those working with them.
Organic solvents are not like organic fruits or vegetables that require rigorous monitoring for pesticides or poisons. Rather, they are any solvent – or liquid that dissolves on its own or in some other substance – that contains carbon. The industrial uses of organic solvents are diverse, including a range of products from cleaning solutions to paint thinners, adhesives and insecticides. Environmentally hazardous organic solvents, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are usually used under strict laws to ensure that companies do not overuse them, but laws vary from region to region.
The cleaning industry, and industries whose processes involve the buildup of dirt or grime, use organic solvents that dissolve this buildup to keep parts running or to help clean a home or other building. Some of the solvents used in the cleaning industry are acetone, n-hexane, tetrachlorethylene and perchlorethylene. The use of a solvent in industry is obvious, because solvents are made to dissolve materials or dissolve in materials, and cleaning performs the natural function of a solvent.
In the adhesive industry, organic solvents act as carrier fluids which help the solvent remain liquid until used. Common solvents in this industry are methyl ethyl ketone, trichloroethane and xylene. Without the use of these solvents, the adhesives would dry before they could be used.
Spray and liquid insecticides use solvents to carry the poison from a container into the insect-infested area. The organic solvents in this industry are used to ensure the poisons remain as a solitary liquid and also help push the insecticide out of the container. Organochloride and organophosphate are both solvents used in this application.
The paint industry uses organic solvents for various applications. Paint thinners, which make working with thick paint easier, use toluene. Benzene is a popular solvent for use in paint strippers. Creating the paint itself also requires the use of solvents, such as carbon disulfide, xylene, and toluene.
While organic solvents are popular for a wide range of industrial uses, nearly all of these solvents are VOC, meaning they are harmful to humans, animals, plants and the environment. This means that most regions have laws setting the legal level of VOCs, and if a company does not meet this level, there are guidelines for proper reduction of volatile components. People who work around VOCs and most other solvents should wear protective clothing to limit their exposure to volatile solvents to ensure their lungs, hearts and other organs are not affected.
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