Varnish removers, methylene chloride

Organic solvents inhaled by abusers include gasoline, glue, aerosols, amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, typewriter correction fluid, lighter fluid, cleaning fluids, paint products, nail polish remover, waxes, and varnishes. Chemicals in these products include nitrous oxide, toluene, benzene, methanol, methylene chloride, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl butyl ketone, trichloroethylene, and trichloroethane. 

The artist, with the help of a sound knowledge of chemistry, can substitute less-toxic materials for highly toxic substances. For example, methyl alcohol, toluene, or methylene chloride can be substituted for benzene, which is used as a paint and varnish remover, and boric acid can be substituted for phenol, which is used as a preservative. The chemist needs the artist to shed new light and for a new point of view so that the chemist can develop appropriate and better art materials. 

Dimethyl formamide Ethylene dichloride Monochlorotoluene Oxo-heptyl acetate Oxo-hexyl acetate Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol solvent, paint stripping Diethyl oxalate Dimethyl adipate N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone solvent, paint thinners Monochlorotoluene solvent, paint/varnish removers Alcohol denatured Methylene chloride solvent, paints... 

Paint and varnish removers are especially noxious to the skin because they may contain, in addition to irritating solvents, many caustic chemicals, such as sodium phosphate, sodium silicate and caustic soda, as well as special chemicals such as dibutylthiourea. Solvents include, e.g., methylene chloride, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and toluene (Kanerva et al. 1984 Fischer and Adams 1990 Vincent et al. 1994). 

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