Ethylene oxide: Health effects
Description
Short term exposure will cause irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes (mouth, nose, throat). Increasing levels of exposure can cause dizziness, nausea, difficulty in breathing, depression of the central nervous system, burns, eye damage, convulsions and death. Long term exposure may cause irritation of the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes, problems with brain and nerve functions and cataracts. Shoes and clothing contaminated with ethylene oxide may cause burns at a later time. Both short term and long term exposure may result in increased rates of miscarriages. Ethylene oxide is classified as a probable carcinogen by Worksafe Australia. There may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen.
Entering the body
Ethylene oxide can enter your body when air containing ethylene oxide is breathed into your lungs. Because it evaporates very quickly it is very unlikely for it to remain in food products or water. If you have been exposed to ethylene oxide it leaves your body through exhaling it from your lungs or through urine and faeces.
Exposure
You are not likely to be exposed to ethylene oxide in the general environment. You may be exposed to ethylene oxide if you work where it is manufactured or used. Examples: the chemical industry, health care, fumigating agricultural products.
Health guidelines
Worksafe Australia allows a worker to be exposed to no more than 1part per million of ethylene oxide on a time weighted average basis.
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