Industrial Hygiene Testing

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) describes 1,4-dioxane as a colorless liquid or solid at cool temperatures below 53°F. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reports it easily dissolves in water and is used primarily as a solvent in the manufacture of chemicals and as a laboratory reagent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that 1,4-dioxane has been found in groundwater at sites throughout the United States and goes on to share that it is highly mobile and does not readily biodegrade in the environment.

NIOSH lists some examples of workers at potential risk of being exposed to 1,4-dioxane, including:

• Employees working in scientific laboratories
• Workers exposed to certain types of industrial solvents
• Factory workers involved in producing some cosmetics
• Workers in paper pulping industries

“Workers can potentially be harmed from exposure to 1,4-dioxane,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “It can harm the eyes, skin, lungs, liver, and kidneys, and 1,4-dioxane may cause cancer according to NIOSH. ATSDR reports exposure to high levels of 1,4-dioxane in the air can also result in nasal cavity damage. Occupational exposure is most likely to occur from breathing contaminated air or skin contact.”

To protect workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and NIOSH has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for 1,4-dioxane. To help in these efforts, EMSL Analytical offers industrial hygiene and environmental testing services to detect and monitor for 1,4-dioxane and many other potential chemical hazards. They also provide sampling supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) to support health and safety programs in the workplace. EMSL has even sponsored an educational video about 1,4-dioxane and potential occupational exposure risks that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/p7DoxZDPcSw

To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, air quality, environmental, health and safety services, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800)220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com.