### substance:

Solvent
* All solvents are poisonous if ingested.
* Keep solvents in safety approved containers.
* Many solvents affect the central nervous system and are skin and eye irritants.
* Many solvents are also flammable and present significant fire hazards in use and storage
  - hazardous and regulated
  - hygroscope - they pick up moisture
  - likely to be hazardous wastes
  - petroleum-based
  - poisonous and flammable, and they pose hazards to groundwater and surface water
  - protonic, including water, liquid ammonia, and glacial acetic acid
* Many solvents can catch fire , even in cold weather
  - cause cancer
  - penetrate the skin directly
  - contain chlorinated compounds which can deplete the earth's protective ozone layer
  - leave a residue
* Most solvents are flammable and some emit toxic gas when heated
  - highly volatile
  - poisonous if they are swallowed or the vapors are inhaled in large amounts
  - readily available household products
  - currently used are highly flammable and contain VOCs which contribute to smog
  - have a characteristic odor
  - including naphtha, kerosene, and gasoline contain both benzene and possibly lead
  - used today are blends of different solvents of the same family
* Some solvents are also highly flammable
  - carcinogenic
* Some solvents can be extremely hazardous and even fatal if used without proper precautions
  - interact with materials of both hard and soft lenses
  - contain chlorine and their loss to the atmosphere contributes to ozone depletion
  - penetrate the skin and enter the blood circulation
  - produce vapours which are heavier than air
  - work better if applied with a cloth.
  * These are called 'organic solvents'. Solvents usually have a low boiling point and evaporate easily or can be removed by distillation, thereby leaving the dissolved substance behind. Solvents should therefore not react chemically with the dissolved compounds - they have to be inert. Solvents can also be used to extract soluble compounds from a mixture, the most common example is the brewing of coffee or tea with hot water. Solvents are usually clear and colorless liquids and many have a characteristic smell. The concentration of a solution is the amount of compound that is dissolved in a certain volume of solvent. The 'solubility' is the maximal amount of compound that is soluble in a certain volume of solvent at a specified temperature
* act on the nervous system, causing dizyness, lack of motor co-ordination, and sleepiness.
* also tend to penetrate the skin, carrying other chemicals along.
* are a blend of VOCs
  - among the chemicals oxidized
  - candidates for re-distillation
  - indispensable in many manufacturing operations, such as cleaning and painting
  - just liquids that can dissolve many other substances
  - likely to attack the plastics used to house most instruments
  - liquid substances that are used to dissolve solids
* are liquids such as glues, paints, and polishes
  - that can dissolve or break things down
  - used to mix the other ingredients in a nail polish to yield a uniform product
  - more efficient than water for dissolving grease
  - necessary as media for chemical reactions, chemical separations and cleaning
  - of two kinds, polar and non-polar
  - one way to thin a epoxy to lower cost
  - organic compounds which can evaporate and affect local air quality
  - sources of hydrocarbons
  - substances, usually liquid, that dissolve other substances
* are the chemicals abused as inhalants
  - most common group of laboratory chemicals
  - toxic, and cause stratospheric ozone depletion and smog formation
* associated with paint can generate volatile organic compounds.
* break up complexes while increasing the binding to the anion exchange
  - hydrophobic interactions, allowing water free access to the hydrogen bonds
* can also attack other organ systems besides the nervous system
  - break down the natural protective oils and fats of the skin
  - modify nuclephilicities, as mentioned above
* can be dangerous to people
  - gases, liquids, or solids
  - toxic to fish and birds and can contaminate our groundwater
  - contaminate drinking water
  - deteriorate or dissolve adhesive
  - enter the body and bloodstream through the mouth and digestive system
  - have a major effect on the hyperfine splitting observed for a spin adduct
  - help to stabilize carbocation
  - only hold so much solute
* contain aromatic hydrocarbons such as mineral spirits and toluene.
* differ from alcohol in their speed of onset which can occur within seconds.
* dissolve solutes.
* dissolve the bond between wood and paint
  - contaminant present on the surface
* dissolves glue.
* dissolving agent used in antiquing and to clean brushes used with oil-based colors.
* do however affect the positions of the shifts for the actual solute.
* enter the body by inhalation, by swallowing and through the skin.
* evaporate causing the paint to dry.
* found in varnishes include turpentine, varnalene, and xylol.
* frequently alter polymer physical properties.
* get into body fat in the skin, nerves, and brain.
* give off fumes that can be inhaled to get 'high'
  - the appearance of a burnished surface, but it remains workable
* have three classes of solubility.
* irritate the eyes and the respiratory tract.
* is denatured alcohol
  - the liquid part of a solution, e.g., the water in salt water
* maintain the coating in a liquid state and influence application.
* make up the major portion of most coatings.
* often play a crucial role in the rate and outcome of liquid-phase chemical reactions
  - an important role in determining the rates and products of reactions
* remove the protective oils from the skin and cause drying, redness, and irritation.
* substance that dissolves the solute.
* used in equipment maintenance can be both toxic and flammable
  - lacquers include acetone and ethyl alcohol
  - include butanol and xylene
* vaporize with lower pressure leaving any solids behind.
* vary in toxicity and persistence in the environment.