Which Toxic Solvents and Chemicals in Manufacturing Cause Injury or Illness?

There are a vast number of chemicals and solvents used in manufacturing that are known to be tetragenic, meaning capable of causing birth defects.  For instance, fabricating computer chips involves exposure to a chemical called photoresist containing ethylene glycol ethers and other solvents.  Many court cases have been based on injuries caused primarily by exposure ethylene glycol ethers.  Other toxic materials include highly corrosive hydrochloric acid, and heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead.  Production plant workers may also be exposed to volatile solvents such as:

methyl chloroform (Other names: 1,1,1-trichloroethane, chlorothene; trade names Solvent 111 and Genklene)

toluene (also known as:  methylbenzene or phenylmethane)

benzene (benzol)

trichloroethylene (also TCE and informally known as Trike or Tri)

acetone  (also known as propanone, dimethyl ketone, 2-propanone, propan-2-one and β-ketopropane)

and toxic gases such as:

arsine

 Many of these chemicals are known or probable human carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals).

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