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Article: Solvent shakedown: the mechanochemistry alternative.(Innovations)
- Article from:
- Environmental Health Perspectives
- Article date:
- August 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Solvents are the proverbial double-edged sword; they allow many chemical reactions not possible in the solid state, but many are also toxic, which means their manufacture, storage, use, and disposal are a matter of great environmental concern. Many solvents widely used in industrial processes and other applications, such as benzene and dichloromethane, are suspected or known human carcinogens and can also cause bone marrow and respiratory problems, anemia, and other health problems. Many solvents undergo chemical reactions in the atmosphere, leading to a number of indirect effects, including the formation of photochemical oxidants and ozone. Elevated concentrations of ...