Substance fact sheet
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) provides information on the types and amounts of pollutants being emitted in the Australian community.
This page provides facts about 2-Ethoxyethanol. It describes how you might be exposed to this substance, how exposure might effect you and the environment, common uses, comparative data about 2-Ethoxyethanol and its physical and chemical properties.
For more information about some of the terms used in this page, see the NPI glossary.
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) holds data for all sources of 2-Ethoxyethanol emissions in Australia.
2-Ethoxyethanol can effect you when breathed in or by passing through your skin. Short-term exposures may irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Very high levels may cause you to feel dizzy, lightheaded and to pass out. Long-term effects from exposure to 2-Ethoxyethanol are possible kidney damage, damaged blood cells, damaged testes in males, and decreased fertility in males. 2-Ethoxyethanol has been shown to be a teratogen in animal studies, and is a possible human teratogen. A teratogen is a substance that harms a foetus.
2-Ethoxyethanol will enter the body if we breathe in contaminated air or drink contaminated water. It can also pass through the skin.
Workers in the industries that use or produce 2-Ethoxyethanol are at risk of exposure. Consumers can be exposed to 2-Ethoxyethanol by exposure to air from production and processing facilities using 2-Ethoxyethanol. Consumers may also be exposed to 2-Ethoxyethanol when using consumer products containing 2-Ethoxyethanol, especially if there is not good ventilation. Household hard surface cleaners, paints, varnishes, lacquers, inks and paint removers are some of the consumer products that may release 2-Ethoxyethanol.
See Sources for more information.
According to Worksafe Australia , it is allowable for workers to be exposed to 5 parts per million 2-Ethoxyethanol over an eight hour workshift. Worksafe Australia has determined that 2-Ethoxyethanol may cause birth defects and may be teratogenic (harm a foetus).
The Australian NOHSC National Exposure Standards Database link is probably the most useful source of information.
Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines.
2-Ethoxyethanol has slight short-term and slight long-term toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to predict the effects of 2-Ethoxyethanol on plants, birds or land animals.
Industrial emissions of 2-Ethoxyethanol can produce elevated, but still low level concentrations in the atmosphere around the source. 2-Ethoxyethanol is readily washed out of the air, this in turn means that about 95% of the 2-Ethoxyethanol emitted to the environment will eventually end up in water. Once in the water it will take between a few weeks to half a year for it to be completely degraded out of the water. Because 2-Ethoxyethanol is used in many consumer products, short-term indoor concentrations may be elevated above the levels considered safe for workers.
2-Ethoxyethanol is rapidly degraded by chemical and biological processes. 2-Ethoxyethanol is not expected to bio-accumulate.
There are no specific Australian environmental guidelines for 2-Ethoxyethanol.
Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines.
2-Ethoxyethanol is a common solvent. It, like other glycol ethers, is used in the semiconductor industry. It is also used in surface coatings such as lacquers and paints. It is used in varnish removers, printing inks, duplicating fluids, wood stains, and epoxies.
The primary stationary sources of 2-Ethoxyethanol are the industries that manufacture it or use it in production. Some of the industries that use it in production are the paint, varnish, wood stain, and lacquer industries. It is used in printing and in the semiconductor industry.
Diffuse emissions to air are from commercial and household painting, staining and use of varnish and lacquers. Some inks will also give off low levels of 2-Ethoxyethanol.
2-Ethoxyethanol does not occur naturally in the environment.
There are no known sources of mobile emissions of 2-Ethoxyethanol.
Household hard surface cleaners, ink markers, various paint and paint-related products, paint thinners, polishing preparations.
Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the NPI reporting list. A ranking and total hazard score was given based on health and environmental hazards and human and environmental exposure to the substance.
2-Ethoxyethanol was ranked as 19 out of 400. The total hazard score taking into account both human health and environmental criteria is 3.0.
On a health hazard rating of 0 - 3 2-Ethoxyethanol registers 3.0. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to health, 2 represents a medium hazard and 1 is harmful to health.
On an environmental rating of 0 - 3 2-Ethoxyethanol registers 0.0. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to the environment and 0 a negligible hazard.
Factors taken into account to obtain this ranking and these scores include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the measure of its ability to remain active in the environment and whether it accumulates in living organisms. It does not take into account exposure to the substance. Environmental exposure is reflected in the NPI rank for this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as an environmental hazard is oxides of nitrogen at 3.0 and one of the lower scores is carbon monoxide at 0.8. A substance that scores highly as a health hazard is arsenic at 2.3 and one of the lowest scores is ammonia at 1.0.
| Substance name | 2-Ethoxyethanol |
| CASR number | 110-80-5 |
| Molecular formula | C4H10O2 |
| Synonyms | Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether; Glycol ethyl ether; cellosolve; Glycol monoethyl ether; Ethoxyethanol; ethylene glycol ethyl ether; glycol ether ee; Ethyl cellosolve; Ethyl Glycol |
| Physical properties: 2-Ethoxyethanol is a colourless liquid, organic solvent with a sweet odour. It dissolves readily in both water and organic solvents (acetone, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, etc) Melting Point (°C) -90 |
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| Chemical properties: Flash point (°C): 40 (combustible liquid) Lower explosive limit: 1.8% Upper explosive limit: 14% Reacts with strong oxidizers. |
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There is more information that may be useful in understanding some of the issues surrounding the NPI.