Tetrachloroethylene emissions and exposure in dry cleaning

Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) emissions and the exposure of workers in six comm ercial and three industrial dry-cleaning establishments that use dry-to-dry machines were determined. The personal samples and area samples [8-hr time -weighted average (TWA) and short-term exposure] were collected with charco al tubes and passive monitors. The temporal variation of PCE concentration in the workplace air was monitored using a Fourier transform infrared analy zer (FTIR). The PCE emission rates were determined by multiplying the avera ge PCE concentration in the room and the total airflow rate in the room. Th e PCE emissions were related to the cleaning rate in units of kg/hr. The operators' mean TWA exposure in commercial shops and industrial establi shments was 28 (4.1 ppm) and 32 mg/ml (4.6 ppm), and the pressers' exposure was 3.4 (0.5 ppm) and 7.7 mg/ml (1.1 ppm), respectively. The customer serv ice personnel had the lowest TWA exposure with a mean value of 0.8 mg/m(3) (0.1 ppm). The highest peak concentration (2300 mg/m(3); 334 ppm) was obser ved during cleaning of the lint and button trap, during which operation res pirators were used. The PCE emission rates ranged from 4 to 118 g/hr corres ponding to emission factors (mass of solvent evaporated per mass of cleaned cloths) of 0.3-3.6 g/kg. The workers' exposure to PCE was below the occupa tional limit values in the United States [according to the American Confere nce of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)] and in Finland. The outd oor PCE emissions were clearly below the limit values given in the European Union volatile organic compound (VOC) directive requirements.