Solvent Safety

[P3D Bill Davis <bd3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gary Cullen  <cullen@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

>I've been repairing cameras for 22 years and have always used white gas
>(camping fuel) for cleaning shutters (with or without sound cleaners) with
>great success. I would shy away from using toluene, xylene or any of the
>ketones which I believe are all carcinogens. Even white gas must be handled
>with care but is, I believe, much safer than the others. 

Among the many hats I wear at my real job, I'm responsible for
administration of the OSHA safety program, including safe handling of the
several hundred raw materials we use.  

Of the five solvents mentioned (toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, xylene,
acetone and camping fuel) camping fuel is the least safe of them all with
the lowest flash point (point at which a spark held nearby will ignite it)
at -25 deg. F.  All of them do have similar toxicity profiles, with similar
health effects.  NONE are carcinogens.  

I also checked my database for several other ketones, including methyl
isobutyl ketone, diisobutyl ketone and ketohexamethylene.  None of these
are carcinogens either.

The bad boy you may be thinking of is benzene.  That IS a known carcinogen.
I wouldn't recommend that one at all.

As far as the rest of your informative post regarding shutter cleaning, it
all sounds right on the money.  Thanks for the voice of experience.

Best and safest regards,
Bill Davis



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