How likely is acetone to cause cancer?

The Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not classified acetone for carcinogenicity.

Acetone does not cause skin cancer in animals when applied to the skin. We don't know if breathing or swallowing acetone for long periods will cause cancer. Studies of workers exposed to it found no significant risk of death from cancer.

Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to acetone?

Methods are available to measure the amount of acetone in your breath, blood, and urine. The test can tell you how much acetone you were exposed to, although the amount that people have naturally in their bodies varies with each person. The tests can't tell you if you will experience any health effects from the exposure.

The test must be performed within 2-3 days after exposure because acetone leaves your body within a few days. These tests are not routinely performed at your doctor's office, but your doctor can take blood or urine samples and send them to a testing laboratory.

Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?

The EPA requires that spills of 5,000 pounds or more of acetone be reported.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a maximum concentration limit in workplace air of 1,000 parts of acetone per million parts of air (1,000 ppm) for an 8-hour workday over a 40-hour week to protect workers.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends an exposure limit of 250 ppm in workplace air for up to a 10-hour workday over a 40-hour workweek.