Worker exposure to aromatic volatile organic compounds in dry cleaning stores

This study evaluated worker exposure to aromatic compounds and perchloroethylene (PERC) in dry cleaning stores relative to four different solvents. For benzene and toluene, there was no significant difference among the indoor air concentrations of the four different solvents. For ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene, the air concentrations were significantly higher in the dry cleaning stores using Solvent V, YuClean, and Super New Cleaner than in those using a PERC mixture. Breath concentrations measured prior to and immediately after work were not significantly different for benzene and toluene, whereas breath concentrations of ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the samples collected immediately after work compared with those collected prior to work. The breath concentrations of benzene and toluene both prior to and immediately after work showed no upward or downward trend for 7 consecutive days excluding Sunday, starting from Monday. In contrast, the breath concentrations of ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, and o-xylene measured immediately after work showed a slight upward trend in three subjects. However, this trend was most likely not due to an accumulated body burden from repeated daily work, but rather was the result of the amount of solvent used each day. It is concluded that dry cleaning workers using the aromatics-contained solvents are exposed to elevated levels of some aromatic compounds compared with the dry cleaning workers using PERC. Further study is recommended to examine the presence of other air toxics inside dry cleaning stores using these solvents.