Abstract

MUJICA, Viky  and  PEREZ, Cathy. Determination of volatile solvents in a teaching and research laboratory of chemical engineering, Valencia, Venezuela. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2006, vol.46, n.1, pp.79-86. ISSN 1690-4648.

This research aimed to evaluate the emission of volatile solvents in the Laboratorio de Ingeniería Química of the Universidad de Carabobo, Valencia, Venezuela. Distillation and extraction of solidlíquid towers were evaluated using ethanol-water and hexane as extractive solvents, respectively. An active sampler to collect medium gaseous samples and a physical-chemical medium, activated coal and 5mL of absorbent solution of distilled water and 50% molar henane-toluene mixture, were used. Concentrations of 0.002483 ppm and 0.002742 ppm of ethanol were obtained for the distillation tower and 0.001253 ppm and 0.000758 ppm of hexane for the extraction tower in each medium. These results were compared against Venezuelan standard official regulations (COVENIN, 1993), which led to the conclusion that these concentrations are under the maximum allowed concentrations.

Keywords : emission; distillation tower; extraction tower; volatile solvents; COVENIN.