Volatile organic solvents in correction fluids : identification and potential hazards

Twenty commercial brands of correction fluid were evaluated for concentrations of volatile organic solvents. Gas chromatography was used to identify and quantify the major volatile components. The organochlorine compounds were the most commonly used solvents for the fluids, including carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, normal-hexane, methyl cyclohexane, and 2-nitropropane. The toxic effects, which occur primarily on the central nervous system, of each of these compounds are discussed.