Assessment of Task and Peak Exposures to Solvents in the Microelectronics Fabrication Industry

Abstract

Short-term exposures to six solvents used in microelectronic fabrication clean rooms were assessed. The solvents measured were: 2-ethoxyethylacetate, n-butyl acetate, xylene, isopropanol, acetone, and propylene glycol monomethylether acetate. Short-term exposures during production and maintenance tasks were measured using both charcoal tubes to obtain average task exposures and direct reading instrumentation to obtain real-time peak levels. All measured samples were considerably below current government or consensus standards for short-term exposures. Pharmacokinetic modeling was used to evaluate the toxicological significance of the highest real-time peaks measured, which in these clean rooms were to the solvent acetone. The model suggested that the peaks measured were below acetone levels associated with reproductive health risks in animals. Hallock, M.F.; Hammond, S.K.; Kenyon, E.; Smith, T.J.; Smith, E.R.: Assessment of Task and Peak Exposures to Solvents in the Microelectronics Fabrication Industry. Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 8(11):945–954; 1993.