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Posted By Dave Henshaw
Can anyone tell me if using acetone whilst pregnant is dangerous for either the mother or the unborn baby. Can anyone tell me where I can find more information on this subject.
Thanks
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Posted By Paul Leadbetter
Dave
As with most things, a lot depends on the level and duration of exposure but, as a general rule, I would be wary of significant exposure to anything for the pregnant given the emotive nature of any damage that could possibly be ascribed to the exposure.
MSDSs should contain that sort of information you are looking for, particularly American ones, which tend to need less evidence than European ones before including appropriate warnings. Having said that, I am not aware of any such hazards being assigned to acetone. You should check for risk phrases such as R46, 61, 62, 63 and 64.
Paul
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Posted By Darren (Daz) Fraser
Difficult to give a precise answer due to the lack of information - specifically amount person is in contact with at any given time.
Current employer uses acetone in thousands of litres as part of process, along with other items in greater amounts. Lab is staffed almost entirely by females of child bearing age, so pregnancy is an occurrence from time to time. Not yet had an issue regarding any of the items, provided all precautions in place are followed as normal.
Start with the information contained within MSDS and the COSHH risk assessment, which if carried out as it should be will have looked at exposure levels and considered all possible significant hazards and the control measures devised to reduce accordingly.
Also, acetone is in nail varnish remover, and considering the amount my wife uses on a regular basis, along with my daughter, I cannot see it being an issue.
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Posted By Chris Packham
Paul
You are so right about the American approach.
Refering to "Hazardous Chemicals Desk Reference" by Richard J. Lewis (4th edition so now a little dated) I find for acetone:
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Safety Profile: Moderately toxic by various routes. A skin and severe eye irritant. Human systemic effects by inhalation: changes in EEG, changes in carbohydrate metabolism, nasal effects, conjunctiva irritation, respiratory system effects, nausea and vomiting, and muscle weakness. Human systemic effects by ingestion: coma, kidney damage and metabolic changes. Narcotic in high concentration. Experimental reproductive effects. Highly flammable liquid. Dangerous disaster hazard due to fire and explosion hazard; can react vigorously with oxidising materials. Used in production of drugs of abuse.
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Enough for you?
Chris
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Posted By Chris Packham
Note to moderators: Some years ago I obtained permission to quote from the work mentioned in the previous posting.
Chris
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Posted By Adam Worth
Start with the MSDS and a phone call to the manufacturer - they are the experts!
It's a very common solvent and used to remove nail polish - don't recal warnings there on use?
As an aside
The body can produce acetone, as seen when ketosis occurs during some dieting and some forms of diabeties. The body effectively starts to eat itself, - . noticed as a whiff of acetone on the breath.
That of course doens't make it safe and I certainly wouldn't drink too much of it :)
REMEBER! acetone can carry other chemicals past the bodies mucus membranes and into the blood.
Make sure gloves used are suitable for any solvents used!!!
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Posted By Adam Worth
Sorry - From questions phrasing I was thinking samll scale only :) thinking back to my old lab days!
I have smacked my wrist as I should know better :)
Good answers provided above, I concur.
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Posted By Dave Henshaw
Many thanks for all the information provided, I appreciate it.
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Posted By D H
Adam - you state "Start with the MSDS and a phone call to the manufacturer"
I was working with the Management team of a chemical manufacturer and one discussion led me to ask them about the value of their MSDS.
They admitted that the information on the data sheet is the minimum that they have to as long as it complies with the law. And the reason? If they put everything they know on the sheet it would not sell!!
Suggest that you get different msds sheets from different suppliers of the same product - you will soon see what I mean.
Dave
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Posted By John Richards
And how many risk and coshh assessments are based upon that same msds ......
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Posted By Adam Worth
@DH
That's why I said START!
My current and previous companies are all experts in their products. A phone call would have resulted in all the safety information you need. - There number is on the MSDS.
This is obviously not always the case and agree advice from multiple sources is always good.
You have to agree it is a good place to start tho?
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Posted By MP
Acetone is listed in EH 40 - I always start there for any chemical.
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Posted By Pete Longworth
I'm not sure about acetone but I do know from past research that (in the early 80s) that butanone, which is chemically similar to acetone (one level higher in the homologous series), was thought to be teratagenic, so I would treat acetone with extreme caution. As I said this was information I gained as a safety rep nearly 25 years ago so things may have moved on from then.
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Posted By Chris Packham
DH
Re information for COSHH and a risk assessment, as I have stated a number of times on this forum, do not rely upon the safety data sheet. This is produced for CHIP not COSHH. It only deals with what is supplied, not what may be present as the actual task is carried out. The supplier has not fulfilled his legal obligations by providing just the safety data sheet, contrary to what many believe. Just take a look as section 6-1 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (yes, 1974!) where it requires the supplier to provide information such that his product can be used safely for the purpose for which it has been supplied. This is a very different requirement to that for the safety data sheet. (If you want more on this drop me an e-mail and I will send you a document explaining this in more detail.)
So go back to the supplier, tell him what you intend to do with his product, then demand that he gives you information to comply with his duties under the Act.
Chris
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Posted By Dave Henshaw
Chris
I would like to see the document you refer to. Where can i obtain your email address from
Regards
Dave
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Posted By Chris Packham
Consider the following:
The acetone will have been purchased for a particular purpose. If during the task for whcih it was intended the acetone became contaminated with some other substance, e.g. it is used as a solvent, then what you would have been dealing with wass not acetone but a mixture.
The other substance may be toxic in some way but, on its own, not able to penetrate the skin and therefore unlikely to cause a health effect. However, the acetone could now act as a vehicle taking the toxic substance through the skin with it. The risk of damage to health could be significant.
Just one illustration of why the safety data sheet is not necessarily the best document for the risk assessment.
Chris
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