One of the end products of disinfection with water with chlorine (or chlorine bleach) is chloroform. This is a known problem for waste treatment and water sources with high organic load. Chloroform has a high vapor pressure especially in the presence of water (forms an azeotrope at 53.3 =B0C, 128 F with 97% of chloroform in the gas phase).

In the absence of an experiment it is hard to guess the air concentration, but one has to wonder if it would be close to the STEL (60 min STEL = 2 ppm, PEL = 50 ppm or 240 mg/m =B3, TLV-TWA = 10 ppm, IDLH = 500 ppm, data from the NTP monograph). The STEL would probably apply to the public and the actors would probably fall under the TLV-TWA limit.

Chloroform is also easily absorbed from water through skin. In one study the blood concentration increased 2-7 fold after a shower (see the reference below).

A measurable concentration of chloroform (above TCLP = 6 mg/L) would also pose costly problem for disposal of the dye solution after the production. This cost should be included in the production budget.

There is also the issue of potential toxicity of other oxidation/chlorination products from the dyes and stabilizers. Depending on the particular dye there is a potential the formation of quinoid compounds. Some of them are associated with toxicity if ingested. I don't have data on transdermal absorption.

A similar issue has been reported with BHT, the popular preservative in plastics etc. The BHT itself appears quite safe, but its oxidation byproducts are potentially toxic.

Finding good data on the oxidation of dyes would require some search, but perhaps a conversation with a friendly toxicologist could give you some hints.

Slawomir Janicki

Nuckols JR, Ashley DL, Lyu C, Gordon S, Hinckley AF, Singer P. 2005. Influence of tap water quality and household water use activities on indoor air and internal dose levels of trihalomethanes. Environ Health Perspect 113(7): 863-870

Monona,