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Abstract
The large emissions of perchloroethylene (PERC), a potential carcinogen, from dry cleaning establishments led the fabriccare industry to redesign dry cleaning machines. State-of-theart facilities now employ nonvented self-contained machines that do not emit vapors directly to the outside air. However, fugitive emissions in indoor environments continue to be emitted from these new machines.
An indoor air quality study was conducted in six Chicagoarea dry cleaning establishments that use nonvented selfcontained machines. PERC concentrations were investigated by collecting 46 air samples with 150-mg charcoal tubes and subsequently conducting gas chromatograph analysis. Indoor PERC concentrations ranged from 1.7 to 52.3 ppm. A relationship was developed between the weight of clothes cleaned and the emission rate of each facility. This relationship may be used to estimate PERC indoor air concentrations in other facilities.