Airborne Concentrations of Benzene Associated with the Historical Use of Some Formulations of Liquid Wrench

The current study characterizes potential inhalation exposures to benzene associated with the historical use of some formulations of Liquid Wrench under specific test conditions. This product is a multiuse penetrant and lubricant commonly used in a variety of consumer and industrial settings. The study entailed the remanufacturing of several product formulations to have similar physical and chemical properties to most nonaerosol Liquid Wrench formulations between 1960 and 1978. The airborne concentrations of benzene and other constituents during the simulated application of these products were measured under a range of conditions. Nearly 200 breathing zone and area bystander air samples were collected during 11 different product use scenarios. Depending on the tests performed, average airborne concentrations of benzene ranged from approximately 0.2–9.9 mg/m3 (0.08–3.8 ppm) for the 15-min personal samples; 0.1–8 mg/m3 (0.04–3 ppm) for the 1-hr personal samples; and 0.1–5.1 mg/m3 (0.04–2 ppm) for the 1-hr a...