Re: Caught in rain

On 5/7/2025 9:15 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Wed, 7 May 2025 19:46:09 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
 

On 5/7/2025 6:49 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Wed, 7 May 2025 07:24:50 -0400, Zen Cycle <funkmaster@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>

I rinse mine for a few minutes in a coffee can with brake cleaner
(https://www.grainger.com/product/CRC-Brake-Cleaner-Solvent-35WT64)

>
Almost pure dry cleaning solvent:
>
<https://www.grainger.com/sds/pdf/259633.pdf>
    Chemical name:  tetrachloroethylene
    Common name and synonyms:  perchloroethylene
    CAS number:  127-18-4
    %  90 - 100%
>
"EPA Proposes Ban on All Consumer and Many Commercial Uses of
Perchloroethylene to Protect Public Health"
<https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-ban-all-consumer-and-many-commercial-uses-perchloroethylene-protect>
>
"Risk Management for Perchloroethylene (PCE)"  (Dec 2024)
<https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-management-perchloroethylene-pce>
"EPA has set a 10-year phaseout for the use of PCE in dry cleaning to
eliminate the risk to people who work or spend considerable time at
dry cleaning facilities."
>

>
We used trichloroethane for cleaning for years, small drums
to fill Milwaukee Sprayers:

 Please be careful with the chemical names.  The chemical Zen Cycle
uses is tetrachloroethylene.  The chemical that you're talking about
is trichloroethylene, which is a very different chemical.
  From 1971 to 1973, I spent some time on a PCB (printed circuit board)
and hybrid IC (integrated circuit) soldering production line.  We
would wash off the rosin flux with trichloroethylene (and
trichlorethane) with no gloves and breathing protection.  In about
1995, we had a reunion and compared notes. 

In the early 80's when I first started as a technician in the electronics industry vapor degreasers with trichlorethane were all the rage. I do remember that sticking an un-gloved hand beneath the condensers would dessicate the outer layer of skin. As a production technician at the time my exposure was limited to the few times I needed to do a PCB repair, probably less than once a week.
That was phased along with a host of other chloro/flouro carbons due to ozone depletion.  About the time that trichlorethane was fully phased out, water soluble fluxes had been developed for mass production (wave solder systems) so degreaser tanks were replaced with large ultrasonic cleaners. We still operate a through-hole line here with a wave solder machine. Our process is to use an IPA bath (no, not the beer), followed by the ultrasonic cleaner. I don't think I ever been exposed to trichloroethylene, at least, my liver is still in good shape.

We discovered that nearly
everyone that had worked on the production line had some form of liver
damage.  I was the only one who didn't have liver damage, possibly
because I spent less time near the soldering machines.

Liver damage from trichloroethylene is mentioned here:
https://ecolink.com/info/trichloroethylene-vs-trichloroethane/