Acetone

Acetone is a good solvent for most plastics and synthetic fibers including those used in laboratory bottles made of polystyrene, polycarbonate and some types of polypropylene. It is ideal for thinning fiberglass resin, cleaning fiberglass tools and dissolving two-part epoxies and superglue before hardening. It is used as a volatile component of some paints and varnishes. As a heavy-duty degreaser, it is useful in the preparation of metal prior to painting, it also thins polyester resins, vinyl and adhesives.

Mineral Turpentine

Mineral turpentine, also known as turpentine substitute is a hydrotreated light distillate of petroleum, and consists of a complex mixture of highly refined hydrocarbon distillates mainly in the C9-C16 range. The material is a colorless transparent liquid at room temperature. The liquid is highly volatile and the vapours are flammable. It can be a very dangerous inhalant.

Mineral Turpentine
Hydrocarbon solvents specifically designed for use in paint formulations and many related diluent. Mineral Turpentine is one of the hydrocarbon solvent most widely used because it combines good solvency with controlled evaporation. Mineral Turpentine is commonly used for paint thinners, linseed oil, evening and polishes, metal cleaners and clean-up brushes and equipment after painting.

A paint thinner is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints. (All such solvents have other uses.) Commercially, "paint thinner" is usually a name for mineral spirits.




Other solvents used to thin paint include:
  • Acetone
  • Mineral turpentine (turps)
  • True turpentine
  • Naphtha
  • Toluene
  • White spirit
  • Xylene
  • Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)
  • Dimethylformamide (DMF)
While painting or making the paint of proper consistency by addition of thinner liquid there is an exposure to the vapours. ACGIH has established Threshold Limit Values(TLV) for most of these compounds. TLV is defined as the max. concentration in air which if breathed by a normal person(excludes sensitive persons like children,aged population, pregnant women, diseased, etc) in the course of 40hours work ( in US work conditions)per week, day after day through their work life without long term ill effects. Normally in undeveloped world workers work with much higher exposure to these chemicals with consequent damage to their health.

The TLV is equivalent in spirit, although the materials covered, values recommended, and definitions used can differ, to the following concepts.
WEEL (Workplace environmental exposure level) created by a committee of the American Industrial Hygiene Association AIHA
Similar concepts used in other countries include:

  1. Australia > OES Occupational exposure standard
  2. France > VME (Valeur Moyenne d'Exposition) & VLE (Valeur Limite d'Exposition)
  3. Germany > AGW (Arbeitsplatzgrenzwert) & MAK (Maximale Arbeitsplatz-Konzentration)
  4. Netherlands > MAC (Maximaal Aanvaarde Concentratie)
  5. Malaysia > PEL (Permissible exposure limit)
  6. Poland > NDN (Najwyższe Dopuszczalne Natężenie)
  7. Russia > ПДК (предельно допустимая концентрация)

Acetone

Some paint thinners, such as mineral turpentine, may be abused as inhalants. This is an extremely dangerous and potentially addictive form of drug abuse. Due to the dangers linked with inhaling these solvents, most paint thinners are recommended for use in well ventilated areas to minimize danger.