Use of solvents in industries in Korea: experience in Sinpyeong-Jangrim industrial complex

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the most popular solvent and typical type of solvent work among solvent-using workplaces in Korea. Methods: In practice, 862 solvent-using workshops in Sinpyeong-Jangrim industrial complex in Pusan were investigated in a 2-year period from March 1995 to February 1997. Solvent vapors in the breathing zone of workers were collected by personal sampling with charcoal tubes. The exposed charcoal was extracted with carbon disulfide, and the solvents in the extract were analyzed by flame ionization detector-equipped gas chromatography (FID-GC). Results: Solvents were used in painting, glue application, cleaning, printing and solvent-mixing workshops in decreasing order of popularity. Toluene was the most frequently measured solvent. In the five types of solvent work, acetone, hexane, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene and xylenes were also used frequently. Conclusions: Toluene was identified as the most frequently used solvent in solvent works in Korean manufacture industries in the late 1990s. Eight types of solvent were popularly used in five popular types of solvent work. These trends are very similar to the cases reported for industries in Japan.