| Description |
Chemical exposures in the fabrication of integrated circuits or "chips" occur in: 1) wafer manufacturing with potential release of toxic gases such as arsine, diborane, and phosphine; 2) fabrication of semiconductors including oxidation, photolithography, etching, and doping; and 3) electronic component assembly including soldering and encapsulation in epoxy and formaldehyde resins. Asthma caused by soldering fluxes, isocyanates, epoxy resins, and trimellitic anhydride have been reported in this industry. [Harber, p. 718-27] Other potential adverse health effects are reproductive toxicity from glycol ethers, hydrofluoric acid burns, arsenic poisoning, and contact dermatitis. "Because of the very low levels of airborne arsenic in modern silicon wafer fabs, it is unlikely that urinary biomonitoring is able to detect increments in exposure." Silicon is the substrate for about 95% of wafers made, and gallium arsenide is used in the remaining 5%. Gallium arsenide is used for military devices and other products requiring faster processing speeds. [Sullivan, p. 431-66] The most common skin allergens found in the electronics industry are epoxy resins, nickel, acrylic resins, colophony/solder resins, rubber, formaldehyde resins, isothiazolinones (Kathon), and chromates. [Kanerva, p. 657] |
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