[s-cars] Toluene - safety warning.

[Eric Phillips]

Nitrile are great for that.

Mostly, those kind are a replacement for latex, due to folks having
latex sensitivities but for motor oil and grease, they are a great
solution.

Most of those kinds of gloves aren't thick enough to prevent pure
solvent migration, especially aggressive solvents like toluene and
chlorinated solvents.

That's why I use the thicker neoprene kitchen type for that sort of
thing.  Dichloromethane (a common paint-stripper solvent) in bulk form
is used in our lab for sample extraction.  If I spill some on a latex
or nitrile glove like those thin exam kind, the gloves will
immediately shred and disintegrate.  Wanna know how I know this?  :)

Motor oil is nowhere near agressive enough to do that.

Yes, I do realize that brake cleaner comes in chlorinated and
non-chlorinated flavors.  For degreasing and quick drying without
residue left behind, nothing beats a chlorinated solvent.

Taka's comment was that they aren't made that way any more - but I
could go and pick up a case of red-can CRC Brakleen right now, if I
had half a mind to.  That's what I was getting at there.

Now, I could be accused of having half a mind...

Solvent-addled,

Eric

On 12/12/06, Harold McComas <HaroldMcComas at comcast.net> wrote:
> So while we are getting educated.... tell me about Nitrile gloves, when to
> use and not to use. I just got a box of them from my dad. Been using them on
> oil changes or when my hands might get greasy.
> Last time I bought a can of brake cleaner, I bought the CRC non-chlorinated
> cleaner in the Green can, just letting you know there are two types. That
> stuff has : methanol, toluene, acetone, heptane and xylene. MSDS for it :
> http://www.crcindustries.com/faxdocs/msds/5084.pdf
>
> Harold
> > From: "Eric Phillips" <gcmschemist at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [s-cars] Toluene - safety warning.
> > To: "Taka Mizutani" <t44tqtro at gmail.com>
> > Cc: s-car-list at audifans.com
> > Message-ID:
> > <718a440c0612121120y557621efhcb0c87afe978cba6 at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> >
> > CRC Brakleen has 1,1,1-trichloroethylene in it - I just used some the
> > other month.
> >
> > No, none of these guys is really great for the nervous system, but
> > some of them have more effects on other organs.  Aromatics hit the
> > kidneys and liver hard.  Chlorinated stuff hits the liver and nervous
> > system hard.
> >
> > Organic solvents just aren't all that good for you.  You should avoid
> > them when possible, but if you do use them (for whatever reason),
> > using them in a well-ventilated area is the best bet.
> >
> > Taking additional precautions (over and above the common-sense ones I
> > have listed) should be reserved for when you plan on being in
> > prolonged contact with the vapors.  Like using autobody paint, for
> > example.
> >
> > Or if you're prone to spilling.
> >
> > E.P.
> >
> > On 12/12/06, Taka Mizutani <t44tqtro at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Eric-
> >> Thank you for the information- just one thing, though- with brake
> >> cleaner,
> >> there really aren't any chlorinated brake cleaners in use any longer- I
> >> can
> >> get the exact composition when I get home tonight.
> >>
> >> Nasty stuff for certain, but I don't think it's anything other than the
> >> very
> >> common
> >> stuff you see in other solvents- naptha, toluene, xylene. Inhaled, these
> >> compounds
> >> are not good for the nervous system, no?
> >>
> >> Taka
> >>
> >> On 12/12/06, Eric Phillips <gcmschemist at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > Latex is fine for motor oil.  I use neoprene there, too, but only
> >> > because I tend to need more protection up my wrists and arms.
> >> >
> >> > You're fine on the brake cleaner - if there's any task that I'd choose
> >> > for an organic vapor mask, that's the one.  Those chlorinated
> >> > solvents, all sprayed around like that, tend to go right into my
> >> > lungs.
> >> >
> >> > Xylenes (dimethylbenzenes) are the least carcinogenic of the
> >> > aliphatic-substituted benzenes.  I'd use the same precautions used for
> >> > toluene.
> >> >
> >> > Eric
> >> >
> >> > On 12/11/06, Theodore Chen <tedebearp at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> > > eric, do latex gloves provide sufficient protection when handling
> >> > > used motor oil during oil changes?  i don't soak my gloved hands in
> >> > > the
> >> > > oil, but i do get some on the gloves when removing the oil drain
> >> > > plug.
> >> > >
> >> > > i rarely use brake cleaner.  i always use it outside if i have to use
> >> > > it, and i leave the area immediately after using it to let the vapors
> >> > > dissipate before i come back.  think that's safe enough?
> >> > >
> >> > > another chemical to be wary of is tar and bug remover, which contains
> >> > > xylene.
> >> > >
> >> > > i switched to using simple green, so i can't remember the last time
> >> > > i used brake cleaner or other organic solvent.