Alternatives to chlorinated solvents: the use of 1-bromopropane (npropyl bromide) in spray adhesives

Details

• Personal Author:
  Reh, Christopher M.
• Description:
  For many years, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and methylene chloride were used in various industries. Due to international concerns of stratospheric ozone depletion, production of 1,1,1-trichloroethane was banned in 1996. Also, OSHA recently promulgated regulations on methylene chloride exposures and use. Considering this, suitable alternatives are being considered for the solvent vehicles in spray adhesives. A potential alternative that is becoming popular is 1-bromopropane (1-BP). There are no NIOSH, ACGIH, or OSHA exposure criteria for 1-BP. A literature review yields little health effects and toxicological information, especially when considering worker exposure or epidemiologic studies. A 1-BP manufacturer recommends a full-shift exposure guideline of 100 ppm. This limit is based on data from a 90-day inhalation study in rats. An EPA review found that workplace exposures in the 50-100 ppm range may be protective. NIOSH recently conducted an exposure study at a facility using 1-BP-based spray adhesives in the manufacture of aircraft seats. The facility has four departments; the covers and assembly departments use the adhesive, while workers in the saw and sew departments were secondarily exposed. The mean 1- BP full-shift exposure for all workers was 168.9 ppm (n = 69), and these ranged from 60 ppm to 381.2 ppm. All but two were above the manufacturer's guideline of 100 ppm. The highest exposures were in covers department (mean of 197 ppm), followed by assembly (169.8 ppm) and saw (117.1 ppm). Area air sampling in the sew department found a mean 1-BP concentration of 128.1 ppm. This study indicates that high exposures can occur during the use of 1-BP-based spray adhesives. Recommendations were provided to the employer for the proper design of spray booths, and for the proper selection of personal protective equipment. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Adhesives Aircraft Chemistry Chlorine Chlorine Compounds Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring Hazardous Substances Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Paint Personal Protective Equipment Safety Solvents

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• Keywords:
  Air-sampling Aircraft-parts-and-auxiliary-equipment Brominated-compounds Brominated-propanes Chemical-analysis Chemical-properties Chlorides Chlorinated-ethanes Employee-exposure Equipment-design Exposure-assessment Exposure-levels Hazardous-materials Health-hazards Industrial-exposures Methyl-compounds Personal-protective-equipment Regulations Spraying-booths Sprays

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• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Florida ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  69
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20041547
• Citation:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 20-25, 2000, Orlando, Florida. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2000 May; :69
• CAS Registry Number:
  1,1,1-Trichloroethane (CAS RN 71-55-6) ; 1-Bromopropane (CAS RN 106-94-5) ; Dichloromethane (CAS RN 75-09-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2000
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 20-25, 2000, Orlando, Florida
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d67f593975ef71ccf8c6bfce8f75de3f450cd160a4c8f470c7c8f6e9a139f5a2f76618ca67a57ee30d86280876a907985b85344bf7f8164c52574c5a49e892cf
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/194088/cdc_194088_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.06 MB ]