title: Organic solvent use in enterprises in Japan.
abstract: This study was initiated to elucidate possible changes in types of organic solvents (to be called solvents in short) used in enterprises in Japan through comparison of current solvent types with historical data since 1983. To investigate current situation in solvent use in enterprises, surveys were conducted during one year of 2009 to 2010. In total, workroom air samples in 1,497 unit workplaces with solvent use were analyzed in accordance with regulatory requirements. Typical use pattern of solvents was as mixtures, accounting for >70% of cases. Adhesives spreading (followed by adhesion) was relatively common in small-scale enterprises, whereas printing and painting work was more common in middle-scale ones, and solvent use for testing and research purpose was basically in large-scaled enterprises. Through-out printing, painting, surface coating and adhesive application, toluene was most common (being detected in 49 to 82% of workplaces depending on work types), whereas isopropyl alcohol was most common (49%) in degreasing, cleaning and wiping workplaces. Other commonly used solvents were methyl alcohol, ethyl acetate and acetone (33 to 37%). Comparison with historical data in Japan and literature-retrieved data outside of Japan all agreed with the observation that toluene is the most commonly used solvent. Application of trichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane, once common in 1980s, has ceased to exist in recent years.
authors.affiliation: Kyoto Industrial Health Association (Main Office), 67 Nishinokyo-Kitatsuboicho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ukai
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Samoto
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
authors.forename: Sonoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakuragi
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000266:history*; D012997:Solvents / Q000032:analysis*; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012997:Solvents; D014050:Toluene