Eco-Friendly Substitutes for Benzene

Eco-Friendly Substitutes for Benzene

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Though benzene is commonly used by many industries, it is considered hazardous to humans and particularly harmful to the environment. Luckily, there are several eco-friendly substitutes for benzene on the market.  

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the risks associated with using benzene, and how you can find an environmentally conscious alternative to this harsh solvent.  

Benzene & The Risks 

Benzene is a controversial yet widely used hydrocarbon industrial solvent utilized for various applications, such as the production of plastics, resins, synthetic fibers, lubricants, dyes, and rubbers. It is also present in many paint removers, paint thinners, and detergents.  

However, benzene is extremely toxic, and the list of risks associated with the chemical is particularly extensive:  

  • Carcinogen (can cause leukemia or various blood cancers) 
  • Can damage the immune system by changing antibody levels 
  • Can cause drowsiness or dizziness 
  • Highly flammable 
  • Serious skin, eye, and respiratory irritants 
  • Potential reproductive toxin  
  • Can potentially cause anemia (causes bone marrow to not produce enough red blood cells) 
  • Air pollutant  
  • Water contaminant 

As an air pollutant, benzene can react with other volatile chemicals to produce smog, which has the potential to leak into rain and contaminate soil and water.  

Are There Any Effective Eco-friendly Substitutes for Benzene?  

Fortunately, for those searching for an alternative that effectively replaces benzene, there are various options for environmentally conscious solvents that do not compromise worker safety for quality:  

  • Acetone 
  • Ethanol 
  • Methanol 
  • 2-propanol 

Not only are these options significantly safer for humans, but they are not classified as air pollutants and do not contribute to ozone depletion.  

Acetone vs. Benzene 

Acetone is the perfect example of a highly effective eco-friendly substitute for benzene because it possesses the same versatility as the chemical without contributing to environmental harm and toxicity.  

There are multiple benefits of using acetone over benzene: 

  • Highly effective as an industrial and commercial solvent 
  • Used for similar applications as benzene, such as in paint removers, varnish removers, and thinners, for degreasing and cleaning.  
  • Not an air pollutant or volatile organic substance 
  • Inexpensive 
  • Low toxicity 
  • Water soluble 

Ready to Make the Switch? 

If you are looking to replace your outdated or hazardous solvents like benzene, you are in the perfect place! At Ecolink, we pride ourselves on providing environmentally preferred chemicals for various businesses and industries.  

We also help companies find the best chemical products for their specific needs. Reach out to us today to receive a free quote and consultation! 

Best Eco-Friendly Paint Solvents

Best Eco-Friendly Paint Solvents

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The solvents in paint thinners dissolve the paint, making a thinner mixture that aids in the paint application process. While paint thinners are helpful, they also come with their downfalls.  

Many of the solvents used in paint thinners are highly toxic, making them extremely harmful to workers and the environment. Luckily, there are several eco-friendly paint solvents on the market today that you can use to avoid the negative effects associated with traditional paint thinners. 

Why Traditional Paint Solvents Are Unsafe 

The most widely used chemicals in paint solvents include benzene, toluene, MEK, and methylene chloride. These solvents all have one thing in common: they are hazardous to both humans and the environment. The hazards associated with these chemicals create an unsafe workspace and pose dangerous risks to the environment:  

  • Known air pollutants that contribute to ozone depletion 
  • Toxic to aquatic life  
  • Carcinogenic 
  • Skin, eye, and respiratory irritation 
  • Can potentially damage the brain and central nervous system  

It is a common misconception that eco-friendly chemicals are not as effective or reliable as traditional solvents. Though these are the most common ingredients you will see in various paint solvents, new eco-friendly products are becoming increasingly popular and are effectively replacing these hazardous solvents. 

What are the Examples of Eco-Friendly Paint Solvents?  

It may be a surprise to some, but companies no longer have to compromise harm to the environment and worker safety for quality, as there are various effective options available, such as soy-based solvents, terpene-based solvents, and acetone. The desirable qualities of these options present multiple benefits over hazardous solvents: 

  • Biodegradable 
  • Highly effective for paint stripping or paint thinning, particularly acetone and terpenes 
  • Non-ozone depleting 
  • Low VOC content 
  • Not hazardous air pollutants 
  • Low toxicity, making it much safer for both industrial and commercial applications 
  • Non-carcinogenic 
  • Generally inexpensive and easy to obtain 
  • Solvents like acetone are generally compatible with most surfaces 

Another highly desirable benefit of acetone as an environmentally conscious paint solvent is its versatility, as it can be used for heavy degreasing, dissolving/stripping paints or grease, or mixing with paints as a paint thinner. 

Looking to Explore Eco-Friendly Paint Thinner Options? 

You are in the perfect place! Here at Ecolink, we do everything we can to ensure companies find the best eco-friendly chemical products for their needs.  

To find out which of our products is best for your company’s needs, reach out to our expert team today for a free quote and consultation! 

What Are Some Preferred Eco-friendly Paint Removers?

What are some preferred Eco-friendly Paint Removers?

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Paint removers are some of the most utilized chemicals by various industries, as they are used to strip paints and coatings from surfaces. These chemicals are usually aggressive, as they need to be able to penetrate the layers of paint to cause them to swell, which leads to the weakening of the adhesion to the surface.  

Unfortunately, these aggressive chemicals are known to pose many health risks to workers and to the environment as hazardous waste.  

In order to reduce risks associated with handling hazardous waste, it’s important to choose an eco-friendly paint remover over a traditional paint remover. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of making this switch, and where you can shop for eco-friendly options. 

What Are Some of the Risks Associated with Traditional Paint Removers?  

Most paint removers rely on methylene chloride, a hazardous air pollutant, as the active ingredient. The risks associated with methylene chloride are particularly alarming: 

  • Contributes to ozone depletion as a halogenated solvent  
  • Highly likely to be carcinogenic (high levels of exposure cause liver and lung cancer) 
  • Neurotoxin (meaning that it can potentially damage the brain and central nervous system) 
  • Can cause severe eye irritation 
  • Can cause respiratory irritation 
  • Readily absorbed through the skin  
  • Exposure can cause drowsiness and dizziness 

Though the chemical is the active ingredient in traditional paint removers, companies are beginning to utilize alternative options and modern chemicals formulated to replace these hazardous solvents.  

What Are Some Examples of These Eco-friendly Paint Removers Options?  

Paint removers that are becoming increasingly more popular are soy-based, which consist of methyl esters from soybean oil, are non-ozone depleting, and are low in VOC content. Another popular example would be terpene-based paint removers, which are derived from citrus fruits. 

The perfect example of a highly effective eco-friendly paint remover is Safe Strip, which replaces methylene chloride, benzene, toluene, and other traditionally used hazardous solvents. There are multiple desirable characteristics of Safe Strip as an environmentally conscious paint remover: 

  • Biodegradable 
  • Recyclable (cost-effective) 
  • Low VOC content 
  • No contribution to ozone depletion 
  • Non-carcinogenic 
  • Non-flammable 
  • Powerful performance, comparable to methylene chloride 
  • Effective on all coatings, including epoxy and polyurethane resins 
  • Removes coatings in one step 

Utilizing a product like Safe Strip not only creates a safer workspace but also allows for the preservation of our delicate environment.  

Interested in Purchasing Safe Strip? 

At Ecolink, we strive to provide our customers with eco-friendly chemicals that not only protect workers’ health but also the health of the environment. To learn more about why Safe Strip is a great greener alternative to traditional paint and coating removers, click here. 

Looking for Eco-friendly Paint Removers?

Ecolink can help you find the right solutions for your business’s needs! Shop Safe Strip here for your paint removal needs. Our expert team members are standing by to answer any questions that you may have. Reach out to us today for a free quote and consultation!

Where Can I Find MEK?

Where Can I Find MEK?

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Methyl ethyl ketone, also known as MEK and 2-butanone, is a nonpolar, organic solvent traditionally utilized as a plastic welding agent and in the manufacturing of various materials, including:  

  • Plastics  
  • Synthetic rubbers 
  • Resins 
  • Textiles 
  • Paraffin wax  
  • Gums  
  • Adhesives  
  • Certain household products, such as paint removers and varnishes 

MEK is considered to be a highly effective solvent due to its strong performance and high boiling point. Though an effective solvent, consistent use of MEK comes with multiple risks, particularly affecting workers who are exposed to the hazardous qualities of the chemical. The solvent also carries potential environmental risks, such as being able to potentially react with volatile organic substances in the atmosphere to form photochemical smog. 

Some specifically associated health hazards include:  

  • Serious eye irritant 
  • Skin irritant 
  • High toxicity 
  • Respiratory irritant  

Where Can I Find MEK?   

MEK is typically sold industrially by chemical companies and may even be sold at home improvement stores, but due to the serious associated health and environmental risks, many companies have begun to seek out eco-friendly, worker-friendly, and cost-efficient substitutes for the product. The increase in demand for these alternative products has enabled greener alternatives to be much more accessible to companies seeking them out.   

What Is a Good Replacement for MEK?  

An ideal replacement for MEK would be a product like Preptone, which is a fast-evaporating solvent system utilizing terpene solvent technology. The solvent consists of a blend of acetone-based high-purity d-limonene. Preptone is meant to replace solvents like TCE and MEK, because of its fast evaporation quality. The utilization of terpenes over ketone solvents allows for more effective performance. 

Some of the benefits of using Preptone over ketone solvents include:  

  • Strong non-polar solvency, allowing for the dissolution of sealants or waxes 
  • Ultra-clean evaporation 
  • Ideal for pre-paint preparation and cleaning 
  • Quick evaporation 
  • Low VOC 
  • Suitable for aerospace applications, with a vapor pressure below the limit for aerospace uses 
  • No halogenated compounds or HAPs 
  • Compatible with all metals and certain plastics   

Want to Know if Preptone Is Right for Your Business? 

At Ecolink, we are here to help you find the best eco-friendly and worker-friendly products for your industrial needs. Reach out to us today to learn if Preptone is right for your business needs! 

Types of Fouling in a Heat Exchanger

Types of Fouling in a Heat Exchanger

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Heat exchangers are used in industrial settings to transfer heat away from a system, usually by pumping it through a set of coils or membranes surrounded by natural water. Unfortunately, heat exchangers are susceptible to fouling, which is when minerals or organic materials build up, causing clogged waterways and a decrease in efficiency.  

Keep reading to learn about the types of fouling found in many heat exchangers! 

Biological Fouling 

Also known as “biofouling,” biological fouling refers to any fouling created by the accumulation of organic material, such as: 

  • Bacteria 
  • Algae 
  • other microorganisms 

Biofouling is very common in saltwater heat exchangers due to the organic abundance of saltwater. Additionally, biofouling can be troublesome because just like a weedy garden, once a small amount of biomass has taken hold, it will increase itself exponentially.  

Fouling by Chemical Reaction 

This type of fouling occurs when two metals interact during the heat transfer process, and react to form new solid material, which blocks the flow of water in the system. This is frequently seen in the oil industry where refining takes place. 

Corrosion 

Corrosion is a type of fouling that involves the electrochemical reaction of a surface with the fluid surrounding it.  

For example, rust occurs when iron atoms lose electrons to the surrounding oxygen atoms contained in the water (this reaction is called oxidation). Usually, corrosion can be reduced by coating metal surfaces with an anti-corrosion material, though sometimes these materials are not as resilient. 

Freezing Fouling 

Depending on the temperature of the surface and the speed of liquid through the system, the fluid or material in the fluid may solidify. In extreme cold, this can cause a buildup of ice, and in warmer situations can cause wax buildup, which will harden and have a clogging effect in relatively cold temperatures. 

Fouling by Precipitation 

Precipitation in a chemical sense refers to the deposition of solid materials through a chemical interaction. If a liquid-liquid reaction (aqueous) creates a non-soluble product, it will appear as a solid and is referred to as a precipitate.  

Precipitates can also occur when the conditions for solubility change, which does not require a chemical reaction. If you have ever tried to make salt water without heating the water, you may have noticed that some of the salt remains in solid form (precipitate). Similarly, if the temperature of a system drops, or some of the fluid evaporates, precipitants can form.  

Some examples of common precipitants seen in industrial heat exchangers include: 

  • Calcium sulfate 
  • Calcium carbonate 
  • Calcium oxalate 
  • Magnesium hydroxide 
  • Silicates 
  • Copper 
  • Phosphates 
  • Barium Sulfate 
  • Magnetite 

Fouling by Particles 

Sometimes fouling can occur without chemical interactions, but simply by the accumulation of the small particles suspended in a fluid. This process is often referred to as sedimentation, as the most common form of particles includes different types of sand, dirt, and small rocks. However, pollution can also cause plastic and metal particle buildup, depending on the location of the heat exchanger, and the amount of filtering that occurs during water intake. 

Have a Fouling Problem? 

If you find yourself with any of these types of heat exchanger buildups, Ecolink is here to help you find an eco-friendly solution! Check out our catalog of chemicals or contact us to get started.