A solvent is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. Solvents are usually liquids but can also be solids, gases, or supercritical fluids. Solvents can be classified into two categories: polar and non-polar. Polar solvents, such as water, favor the formation of ions, while non-polar solvents, such as hydrocarbons, do not. Organic compounds used as solvents include aromatic compounds and other hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, ethers, ketones, amines, and nitrated and halogenated hydrocarbons. Solvents are used in a variety of industries, including chemical, pharmaceutical, oil, and gas industries, for chemical syntheses and purification processes.

Solvents have various applications, including:

• As media for chemical syntheses
• As industrial cleaners
• In extractive processes
• In pharmaceuticals
• In inks, paints, varnishes, and lacquers

Solvents can pose harm to workers and the environment, especially if they are harmful organic solvents. Workers can inhale vapors or fumes, which can be absorbed through the lungs before passing into the bloodstream. Solvents can also be absorbed into the body through the skin or swallowed, which can result in injury or illness. It is important to note that different solvents can impact a person’s health in various ways.