**1. Introduction**

In the modern world, synthetic chemicals are a big part of the human life. Among these products, the organic solvents represent a group of diverse chemical substances with a generally high volatility and solubilization ability that allow their use in broad range of applications. In this respect, there are about a thousand different solvents involving a hundred common uses, especially in industrial sectors.

Depending on their properties, these organic solvents can be used as degreasers (cleaning textiles and metals), additives and thinners (paints, varnishes, inks, glues, and pesticides), strippers (removal of organic products), and even purifiers (perfumes) [1].

Nevertheless, all these solvents have negative impacts on human health and the environment in case of noncaution. The health effects are variable depending on the solvent and the exposure duration and intensity [1]. Due to their volatility, humans can be typically exposed by the three routes: (i) inhalation; (ii) dermal contact, whatever the state of the skin; and (iii) ingestion through accidental absorption or contaminated water or food.

In occupational settings where organic solvents are used or processed, prevention measures have to be established and followed. Their establishment should obey the general principles of prevention and also be based on chemical risk prevention methods [1].

Among the main chemical substance families of organic solvents, we can distinguish the family of the halogenated hydrocarbon. The latter includes a subgroup named the chlorinated hydrocarbons. Since the 1920s, chlorinated hydrocarbons have been widely used for their stripping property. In fact, because they are nonflammable compounds, chlorinated solvents were used in degreasing, notably in the cleaning of clothes. However, since the 1970s, their use has declined steadily because of the growing awareness of their harmful effect on humans and the environment [2].

Once in the human body, their effects are multiple. Some effects are common to all halogenated solvents, and others are distinct and specific to the solvent depending on toxicological proprieties [2]. The common effects include irritation mainly of the skin and mucous membranes (ocular and respiratory) and neurological disorders especially neurobehavioral difficulties. Many chlorinated solvents cause liver or kidney damages [2]. Ultimately, some of them can even induce cancers.

In addition, the recent literature reports with certainty that several volatile organic solvents including the chlorinated ones are deemed to be harmful to the environment by contributing to the production of tropospheric ozone via photochemical reactions. This is consequently causing respiratory disorders for suffering from asthma or respiratory failure. Besides, due to their low solubility in water and their limited biodegradability, these solvents can also lead to soil pollution and in some cases can lead to groundwater contamination [2].

Due to their potential hazardous properties, in recent years, the use of organic solvents in industry and laboratories has progressed considerably. The precaution instructions, which fall under what is called "green chemistry," led to the suspension or a significant limitation of some solvents (chlorinated solvents, glycol ethers, aromatic solvents, etc.) [3].

The perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) are considered as the second and the third most used chlorinated solvents, respectively. One of the industrial sectors that are largely using these two solvents is the dry cleaning industry.

Actually, PCE and TCE are currently well-known to induce many adverse health effects [2, 4–7]. However, in Tunisia, dry cleaners generally use them by dint of their important cleaning properties. In case of noncompliance with the standardized prevention and industrial hygiene measures, their consumption may lead to the contamination of the workplaces' atmospheres, especially nearby solvent handlers, which can lead to health quality degradation in case of long-term exposure.

In this context, for the purpose of protection of solvent handlers' health, the control of the occupational exposure is obligatory in Tunisia according to Law 94-28 of 21 February 1994 [8] and Law No. 95-56 of 28 June 1995 [9]. However, the actual indoor air monitoring is almost absent; besides, there is a shortage of specialized laboratories in the field of air and biomonitoring.

In contrast, for instance, in the United States and Japan, PCE is automatically removed if frequent and intense exposure is confirmed in the workplaces. In France, a national project of gradual cessation of its use in dry cleaning industry is ongoing. In 2013, the installation of new PCE dry cleaning machines is prohibited in buildings contiguous to dwellings [5]. In January 2022, the substitution of all PCE machines is going to take place [7].

Actually, the occupational exposure monitoring of chemical pollutants has an important place in today's strategies for chemical risk prevention [10]. Moreover, the technical advances in the analytical chemistry field have allowed the development of sufficiently sensitive techniques in order to detect pollutants in low concentrations.

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collaborate.

facility.

**2.3 Indoor air measurements**

*Per- and Trichloroethylene Air Monitoring in Dry Cleaners in the City of Sfax (Tunisia)*

Therefore, given the absence of occupational air monitoring standards and the lack of industrial hygiene control in our country, we are especially interested in the current study in occupational exposure assessment by means of the indoor air monitoring of PCE and TCE in dry cleaning facilities in Tunisia (case of Sfax City). This study aims also to assess the human health risks associated to the long-term

Dry cleaning is clothes and textiles cleaning process that uses a solvent other than water. Most of the time, the conventional and common technique consumes chlorinated hydrocarbons, primarily PCE [7]. In the current study, we decided to also include TCE because it was traditionally used in dry cleaning. Even though TCE is no longer used in France since the 1960s [7], we suspect its presence in dry cleaners as it is not explicitly banned by law in Tunisia. Thus, considering its toxicity and

These solvents incur serious adverse effects threatening the health of workers following chronic exposure [11, 12]. They are also proved to be carcinogenic and

**Table** shows the main exposure routes of these two solvents and their health

In order to explore the exhaustive list of dry cleaning facilities in the city of Sfax, we contacted the Sfax Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Regional Union of Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts in Sfax. However, they neither had suf-

Therefore, we decided to carry out a door-to-door canvassing in the study area. We only included facilities on a radius of 5 km from the city center. We excluded facilities using solvents other than TCE and PCE. Besides, we concomitantly requested their acceptance to participate in our study. After that, we randomly selected half number of the facilities who freely and voluntarily accepted to

Afterward, information was collected using a questionnaire with the aim of:

i.identifying all the handled substances in the facilities in order to get com-

ii.describing the working environments and the ventilation quality in each

There are two sampling methods of gas and vapors: passive and active air monitoring of TCE and PCE [14–18]. In this study, we adopted the active sampling of vapors by pumping onto an activated charcoal tube [19, 20]. This method is suitable for the quantification of high exposure levels of air pollutants and of many chlorinated compounds simultaneously. It has also the advantage of allowing the control

probably carcinogenic to humans, for TCE and PCE, respectively [13].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86725*

exposure to these solvents.

**2. Material and methods**

effects and carcinogenicity.

**2.1 Selection of the organic solvents**

proved carcinogenicity, we decided to monitor it as well.

**2.2 Identification and selection of dry cleaning facilities**

ficient information about this industrial sector nor an updated list.

plete qualitative and quantitative inventories and

of sampling conditions (air flow rate and duration).

*Per- and Trichloroethylene Air Monitoring in Dry Cleaners in the City of Sfax (Tunisia) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86725*

Therefore, given the absence of occupational air monitoring standards and the lack of industrial hygiene control in our country, we are especially interested in the current study in occupational exposure assessment by means of the indoor air monitoring of PCE and TCE in dry cleaning facilities in Tunisia (case of Sfax City). This study aims also to assess the human health risks associated to the long-term exposure to these solvents.
