A first french assessment of population exposure to tetrachloroethylene from small dry cleaning facilities

Tetrachloroethylene, PCE (CAS 127-18-4), is a polychlorinated solvent abundantly used in French dry cleaning facilities. It has been identified as a hazardous urban air pollutant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency causing acute, chronic and potential carcinogenic health effects. In France, dry-cleaning facilities are very frequently integrated in urban environments (large shopping malls or residential buildings) and thus can significantly contribute to PCE exposure for supermarket customers and building residents. The aim of this exploratory work is to study indoor air levels in the environment of five French cleaning facilities and assess population exposure in connection to the dry-cleaning machine technology and kind of ventilation.