Carcinogens ethylene oxide

Many surfactants are made from petroleum with hazardous reagents. Sulfur trioxide was used with the carcinogen benzene to make the alkylbenzenesulfonates described earlier. The carcinogen ethylene oxide is used to make many nonionic surfactants from phenols and long-chain alcohols. A common surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate, is made from an alcohol derived from coconut oil by reduction followed by treatment with sulfur trioxide. Long-chain tertiary amines derived from natural fats and oils are quat-ernized with methyl chloride. Perhaps this can be done with... 

HCN,208 but is building new plants based on both routes.209 Even the new route is not free of toxic chemicals, because the diethanolamine is made by reacting the carcinogen ethylene oxide with ammonia.)... 

Carcinogens Ethylene oxide, Cr(IV) compounds, benzene, chloroform, vinyl chloride... 

OSHA considers that, at excessive levels, ethylene oxide may present reproductive, mutagenic, genotoxic, neurologic, and sensitization hazards. In addition, ethylene oxide is considered by OSHA, lARC, and NTP as a potential human carcinogen. 

International Agency for Research on Cancer, Ethylene Oxide in L4RC Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man 11, 157 (1976). 

Ethylene oxide <-18 CH, CH, 7 o 429 3.0-100 0.9 1.5 11 Colourless gas at room temperature Irritant to eyes and respiratory tract, and an experimental carcinogen Polymerizes uncontrollably with immense explosive force on contact with certain chemicals (e.g. ammonia)... 

Ethylene oxide is used in the manufacture of raw materials and can be used to sterilize the surface of finished products and containers. Unfortunately, ethylene oxide is a genotoxic carcinogen and its use is not accepted without justification. In any event, tight controls are required on residues of ethylene oxide and its halohydrin-related substances. For raw materials the amount of these residues is limited to 1 and 50 pig/g, respectively for finished products 1 and 50 pg/g, respectively (with any affected ingredients subject to the control limits for raw materials) and for containers, based on simulated use, 1 and 50 pg/mL container volume, respectively. 

Toxicology. Ethylene oxide is an irritant of the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin at high concentrations it causes central nervous system depression it is carcinogenic in female mice. 

Two epidemiological studies of workers exposed to ethylene oxide revealed increased rates of leukemia. In one smdy, two cases of leukemia (0.14 expected) and three stomach cancers (0.4 expected) were observed. The other study found three cases of leukemia (0.2 expected). Because these workers had exposures to other potential carcinogens, the findings cannot be linked with certainty to ethylene oxide. The small cohort size, the small number of deaths, and uncertainties about exposure level have also been noted." A number of other studies have not found an increased rate of cancer mortality from ethylene oxide exposure. A mortality study of over 18,000 ethylene oxide workers from 14 plants producing medical supplies and foodstuffs did not find an excess of leukemia or brain, stomach, or pancreatic cancers. There was, however, an increase in non-Hodgkin lymphoma in male workers. A follow-up of 1896 ethylene oxide production workers did not find an increase in mortality from leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or brain, pancreatic, or stomach cancers. ... 

The lARC has determined that there is limited evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. ... 

The 2003 ACGIH threshold limit valuetime-weighted average (TLV-TWA) for ethylene oxide is 1 ppm (1.8mg/m ) with a notation for skin absorption and an A2-suspected human carcinogen designation. 

Snellings W, Weil C, Maronpot R A two-year inhalation study of the carcinogenic potential of ethylene oxide in Fischer 344 rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 75 105-117, 1984... 

Dunkelberg H Carcinogenic activity of ethylene oxide and its reaction products 2-chloroethanol, 2-bromoethanol, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. I. Carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide in comparison with 1,2-propylene oxide after subcutaneous administration in mice. 7M Bakt Hyg I Abt OrigB 174 383-404, 1981... 

Dunkelberg H Carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide and 1,2-propylene oxide upon intragas-tric administration to rats. Br J Cancer 46 924-933, 1982... 

Benzene is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid with a pleasant characteristic odor, bp 80.1°C, flash point -11.1°C, and ignition temperature 538°C. Benzene has been found to be very toxic and is on the list of Known to Be Human Carcinogens published every two years by the Department of Health and Human Services under the National Toxicology Program (NTP). There are four top 50 chemicals on this worst carcinogen list benzene 1,3-butadiene ethylene oxide and vinyl chloride. There are also four chemicals in the top 50 on the Reasonably Anticipated to Be Human Carcinogens list acrylonitrile, ethylene dichloride, formaldehyde, and propylene oxide. 

It has been established, however, that ethylene oxide is a potent mutagen and animal carcinogen. 

Chemical (vapor phase) Ethylene oxide Propylene oxide Formaldehyde (3 - Propiolactone Disinfection temperature Ethylene oxide also used as sterilizing agent Possible carcinogenic activity of p-propiolactone... 

Ethylene oxide is a moderately to highly toxic sweet-smelling, colorless, flammable, explosive gas used as a chemical intermediate, sterilant, and fumigant. It is a mutagen and a carcinogen to... 

Propylene oxide (mp, -104°C bp, 34°C) is a colorless, reactive, volatile liquid with uses similar to those of ethylene oxide. Its toxic effects are like those of ethylene oxide, though less severe. The properties of butylene oxide (liquid bp, 63°C) are also similar to those of ethylene oxide. The oxidation product of 1,3-butadiene, 1,2,3,4-butadiene epoxide, is a direct-acting (primary) carcinogen. 

In addition, the testing laboratory for both nutrients and unintentional contaminants, including carcinogens, may perform periodic analysis of the basal diet. The results of such analysis should be retained and included in the final report on each chemical. When the test chemical is administered in water or food, stability tests are essential. Properly conducted stability and homogeneity tests, prior to the chronic study, should be used to establish the frequency of diet preparation and monitoring required. When diets are sterilized, the effects of such procedures on the test chemical and dietary constituents should be known. Appropriate adjustments to nutrient levels should be performed. The effect of chemical sterilants, (e.g., ethylene oxide) on the bioassay should be ascertained. 

Lynch, D. W., Lewis, T. T, et al. 1984. Carcinogenic and toxicologic effects of inhaled ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in F 344 rats. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 76 69-84. 

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