Abstract |
Acetone is a colorless, highly flammable liquid with a characteristic mintlike odor and taste. It is one of the least hazardous organic solvents. Acute exposure can cause mucous membrane irritation, headache, and narcosis. Emissions result primarily from solvent usage, production, use as an absorbent packing for acetylene, bulk storage, and end-product manufacturing. About one-third of total production is eventually lost as emissions. Two types of emission controls are used extensively by the industry. These are vapor recovery and incineration. Control by adsorption on activated charcoal is used when recovery is economically desirable. Based on the results of the health effects research presented in this report, and the ambient concentration estimates, it appears that acetone as an air pollutant does not pose a threat to the health of the general population. In addition, acetone does not appear to pose other environmental insults which would warrant further investigation or restriction of its use at the present time. |