Ethylene glycol dinitrate toxicity

As noted under Mechanisms of Toxicity (Section 4.2), nitrate and nitrite esters are vasodilators with resulting hypotension (Nickerson 1975). Therapeutic doses of nitroglycerin for relief of angina are associated with headaches of vascular origin. Both PGDN and the structurally related ethylene glycol dinitrate produce headaches in humans and methemoglobinemia and hypotension in rats (Andersen and Mehl 1979). 

Exposure. Inhalation skin absorption. Data on toxic effects are reported chiefly from industrial exposures to ethylene glycol dinitrate (EGDN)-NG mixed vapors. 

Toxicity Workers exposed to ethylene glycol dinitrate have demonstrated a variety of adverse effects such as headache, nausea, vomiting, respiratory arrest, angina, cyanosis, coma, and death. Absorption of the compound through skin, digestive tract, and lungs is fast and results in severe toxicity. Workers without proper protection have shown vasodilatation, causing a fall in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate.94,95... 

Precautions and storage On exposure to heating, ethylene glycol dinitrate may cause violent combustion or explosion in work areas and release toxic fumes and nitrogen oxides. Also, it may explosively decompose on shock, friction, or concussion. Storage of ethylene glycol dinitrate requires areas... 

Ethylene glycol dinitrate is more toxic than nitroglycerine because of its lugtier volatility, According to Meyer [72, 73) the maximum permitted concentration in a work place is 1.5-1.6 mg m. ... 

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