Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol)

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Substance name	Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol)
CASR number	107-21-1
Molecular formula	C₂H₆O₂
Synonyms	1,2-ethanediol, EG, glycol, 1,2-dihydroxyethane, glycol alcohol, ethane-1,2-diol, ethylene alcohol, ethylene dihydrate, monoethylene glycol

Physical and chemical properties *Physical properties:* A colourless, odourless, syruplike liquid It will completely dissolve in water. Melting Point (°C):-13 Boiling Point (°C): 197 Specific Gravity: 1.118 *Chemical properties:* The flash point of ethylene glycol is between 111 -121°C (different temperatures based upon different sources).
Common uses Ethylene glycol is primarily used in the manufacture of automotive antifreeze/coolant. It is the primary ingredient in airplane deicers. Ethylene glycol is used in hydraulic brake fluids, electrolytic condensers, as solvents in paints and plastics, in inks, as a softening agent in cellophane, and in the manufacture of plasticisers, solvents, synthetic fibres and waxes.
Sources of emissions Point sources Chemical manufacture, releases from manufacturing industries. May be emitted to air, water or land. Diffuse sources, and point sources included in aggregated emissions data Improper disposal of used antifreeze/coolant, and solvents containing ethylene glycol may result in emissions to land and water. Use of aircraft deicing fluids may result in emissions to land and water. Natural sources Ethylene glycol is unlikely to be found in the general environment. No significant natural sources of ethylene glycol are known. Mobile sources Leaking car or truck radiators. Consumer products which may contain Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) Automotive antifreeze/coolants, inks.
Health effects How might I be exposed to Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol)? You are not likely to be exposed to ethylene glycol in the general environment. You may be exposed to ethylene glycol if you work where it is manufactured or used. Examples: the chemical industry, automotive repair, airplane deicing. Consumers can be exposed to ethylene glycol when they change their radiator fluid or use other products with a high ethylene glycol content By what pathways might Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) enter my body? Ethylene glycol can enter your body when it is ingested, or when materials that contain it are ingested (antifreeze/coolant, inks, brake fluids, etc.) It can also pass through the skin. If you work in an industry that uses or manufactures ethylene glycol you may also could be exposed by ethylene glycol vapour. Relative health hazard On a health hazard spectrum of 0 - 3 Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) registers 1.2. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to health, 2 represents a medium hazard and 1 is harmful to health. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the evaluation of its tendency to cause, or not cause cancer and/or birth defects. It does not take into account exposure to the substance. Human exposure is reflected in the NPI rank given to this substance (see comparative data below). 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. Health guidelines Worksafe Australia recommends that workers be exposed to no more than .060 grams per cubic metre of ethylene glycol on a time weighted average basis, and short term exposures be no greater than .12 grams per cubic metre. See the Additional Information page for current health information. 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. What effect might Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) have on my health? Short term exposure from oral intake of ethylene glycol (in increasingly large doses) can cause vomiting, drowsiness, coma, respiratory failure, convulsions, cardiopulmonary effects, and kidney and brain damage. Ethylene glycol vapour (almost always from a workplace environment) can irritate the eyes, throat, and nose. Large concentrations of the vapour can cause the same effects as oral doses.
Environmental effects *Environmental Fate* In the atmosphere ethylene glycol will be changed into other products in approximately one and a half days, or washed out by rain into the water or soil. In water and soil it degrades in several days to a week. The major degradation product is hydroxyacetaldehyde. Environmental Transport If spilled in water ethylene glycol will mix with the water. Ethylene glycol can also be dispersed by the wind. Relative hazard to the environment On an environmental spectrum of 0 - 3 Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) registers 0.8. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to the environment and 0 a negligible hazard. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking 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 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. Environmental guidelines See the Additional Information page for current environmental guidelines. No national guidelines. What effect might Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) have on the environment? The immediate effects of exposure to high concentrations (e.g. resulting from a major spill) of ethylene glycol can mean death of animals, birds or fish and death or low growth rate in plants. Long-term effects on animal life are shortened lifespan, reproductive problems, lower fertility and changes in appearance or behaviour. Ethylene glycol has moderate toxicity to aquatic life on both a short term and long term basis.
Comparative data NPI Rank Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the NPI reporting list. A risk ranking was given based on health and environmental hazard identification and human and environmental exposure to the substance. Some substances were grouped together at the same rank with 208 ranks in total. Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) was ranked as 23 out of the 208 ranks. Total hazard score (human health + environmental criteria) = 2.
Sources of information used in preparing this article Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (1997), ToxFAQS, Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol (accessed, March, 1999) Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) (1992), Australian Water Quality Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Waters. ChemFinder WebServer Project (1995), Ethylene glycol (accessed, March, 1999) Cornell University, Planning Design and Construction,MSDS, Ethylene Glycol, Tech (accessed, March, 1999) Environmental Defense Fund (1998), ethylene glycol: The Chemical Scorecard: (accessed, March, 1999) Environmental Health Center, a division of the National Safety Council, Environment Writer -- Chemical Backgrounders (March, 1999) (accessed, March, 1999) Manufacturing Technology Information Service, Oakridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology, Biodegradation of Glycols at Airports and natural Gas Pumping Stations (September, 1996) (accessed, March, 1999) Meagher, D (1991), The Macmillan Dictionary of The Australian Environment, Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd. National Environment Protection Council (1998), National Environment Protection Measure for the National Pollutant Inventory (accessed, March, 1999) National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (ARMCANZ) (1996), Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (1995), Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet, Ethylene glycol, PO Box 368, Trenton, NJ. New Jersey Department of Health, Right to Know Program (1986), TRIFacts, Ethylene glycol (accessed, March, 1999) Richardson, M (1992), Dictionary of Substances and their Effects, Royal Society of Chemistry, Clays Ltd, England. Sittig, M (1991), Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, 3rd edition, Noyes Publications, USA. Technical Advisory Panel (1999), Final Report to the National Environment Protection Council. US Department of Health and Human Services (1990), NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Publication No. 90-117. US Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (May, 1998), United Air Toxics Website (accessed, March, 1999) Worksafe Australia (1996), Exposure Standard Ethylene glycol (accessed, March, 1999) Worksafe Australia (1996), Hazardous Substance Ethylene glycol (accessed, March, 1999)

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