Organic (such as hydrocarbons) or inorganic (such as acids) chemical compound used in industrial cleaning processes to dissolve, disperse, or carry solids, gases, or other liquids. There are hundreds of industrial solvents and many can pass rapidly through skin into bloodstream to cause cancer or injury to body organs (usually kidney and liver) or central nervous system. Many of them persist in nature (are not biodegradable) and pollute air, water, and soil, resulting in damage to animate and inanimate environment.
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