PERCHLORETHYLENE CONCENTRATIONS IN THE NE IGHBORHOOD OF DRY CLEANINGS

To assess possible health problems of persons near dry cleanings 236 f lats in the neighbourhood of dry cleanings were tested for perchloreth ylene immission in 1987/88 and 1990/91 in Frankfurt/Main. At the same time 487 air tests and 252 blood tests were carried out. In rooms next to the dry cleanings the mean perchlorethylene concentrations were 4. 95 mg/m3 in 1987/88 and 1.6 mg/m3 in 1990/1991, thus demonstrating red uced immissions by improved cleaning techniques. Neverless perchloreth ylene immissions were far too high and exceeded the legal limit of 0.1 mg/m3. The mean blood level of the dry cleanings neighbours could be reduced from 6.7 mug/dl in 1987/88 to 1.4 mug/dl in 1990/91. Neverthel ess, the mean contamination level of people living in the neighbourhoo d of the dry cleanings was still far higher than that of not exposed i ndividuals. Other dry cleaners, however, have begun to use special pet rol for dry cleaning, thus avoiding the legal limits for perchlorethyl ene. Up to now the possible consequences for the health of the people living in the neighbourhood cannot be figured out for lack of actual i mmission data.