The Effects of Exposure to Toluene in Industry

In the winter of 1940-1941 a survey of the airplane industry in New York State was made by the Division of Industrial Hygiene of the New York State Department of Labor. In the course of this survey it was found that large amounts of toluene were being used as a component of paints. Preliminary analyses of the air of the workrooms in which these paints were being used showed relatively high concentrations of toluene. Use of toluene in this country has increased in the past few years. Whereas in 1930 there were 16,097,856 gallons produced, in 1939 the amount of toluene produced exceeded 24,000,000 gallons.1Toluene has gradually replaced benzene (benzol) in many industrial processes. In recent months, however, use of toluene has expanded enormously owing to the requirements of the defense program. The importance of this substance in national defense industries prompted the immediate reappraisal of its toxicity.