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Good points! While acetone is not
considered highly toxic, I suspect that the irritant effects on skin vary with
an individuals skin type, e.g., naturally oily vs. dry. The best policy is
to use latex gloves when using epoxy, polyurethane and similar chemical
products so that clean up can be done with IPA or soap and water, limiting
acetone, MEK or other nasty toxic chemical direct skin contact for
occasional minor clean-up mistakes. Why push the envelope
unnecessarily?
My step father was a house painter for most
of his working career. Oil-based house paint is generally much less toxic
than the lacquer, epoxy and polyurethane materials used on airplanes and
automobiles. Nevertheless, after many years of daily contact with
house paint and related solvents (including brush and roller cleaning and
washing his hands with solvent), one day he put a turpentine-soaked rag in
his back pocket for ready access, as was his long-time habit, and his
backside turned red and got swollen. After that, his hands, face and
chest would turn bright red any time he touched solvent or even got near an open
can of paint. His body had accumulated too much of the chemicals, and was
reacting to any more however slight. He then had to become an inspector,
and stay away from paint! Words to the wise!
Rod Pharis
In a message dated 11/11/2006 12:41:55 P.M. Central Standard Time,
patricktc@cox.net writes:
Acetone is not
extremely toxic to humans, in fact it has a very low toxicity.
Yeah, maybe very low to everything but one organ - skin. In the
early building years, when I was even more ignorant than I am now, I
frequently cleaned my hands with acetone. Several years later the skin
on my fingers would not self lubricate and I suffered continual cracks on the
working surfaces of my fingers - severe cracking during the winter. Now,
10 years later, I have almost completely recovered except for a spot on the
road rage response finger. I cannot allow my unprotected hands to
come in contact with any "spirits" (gasoline, etc) without the skin instantly
drying out.
Grayhawk
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