VCM and EDC Monitoring in a Chemical Plant Environment - Application Note

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is an economical and highly versatile plastic that is utilized in, among others, the building and construction, health care, electronics, and automotive industries. It’s produced at a rate of approximately 40 million tons per year. The main chemical component of PVC is the vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), which is produced primarily from 1, 2-dichloroethane (EDC). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has deemed these chemicals to be hepatotoxic, corrosive, and carcinogenic. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has indicated that emissions from plants that produce these chemicals contribute significantly to air pollution, resulting in health risk. The risk is even greater for workers in these chemical