ABSTRACT
It has been estimated that in European companies 10 million workers are exposed to solvents (1) most of which, at least from data of animal experiments, are suspected to show nephrotoxic effects. Solvents form a structurally heterogenous group of chemicals with a widespread use for a variety of products and at different working places. Solvents are used for degreasing, dry-cleaning, and extraction of fats and oils, and can be found in a wide range of products, including paints, thinners, glues, inks, and pesticides. The largest demand for solvents comes from the paint and coatings industry, which uses almost two million tonnes every year in Western Europe, but the demand in the pharmaceutic sector is steadily growing.
