Glycol ethers toxicity

Butyl glycol ethers, the largest volume derivatives of -butyl alcohol used ia solvent appHcations (10), are obtained from the reaction of 1-butanol with ethylene oxide. The most important of these derivatives, 2-butoxyethanol, is used principally ia vinyl and acryHc paints as well as ia lacquers and varnishes. It is also employed ia aqueous cleaners to solubilize organic surfactants. 2-Butoxyethanol [111-76-2] has achieved some growth at the expense of the lower alkoxyethanols (ie, methoxy and ethoxyethanol) because of 2-butoxyethanol s lower toxicity. 

The glycol ethers obtained from /-butyl alcohol and propylene oxide, eg, l-/-butoxy-2-propanol, have lower toxicities than the widely employed 2-butoxyethanol and are used in industrial coatings and to solubiHze organic components in aqueous formulations (28). 

Solvents acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), toluene, xylene, glycol, ethers, alcohol defats and dries skin some may be absorbed may carry other components through skin high volatility, exposure possible irritation central nervous system depression (e.g. dizziness, loss of coordination) low to high toxicity, longterm effects... 

The chemical strucmre of a substance may contain strucmral alerts for reproductive toxicity, based on clear evidence for reproductive toxicity of strucmral analogues. For example, glycol ethers, which are metabolized to a reproductive toxic metabolite (an oxyacetic acid) should be considered as reproductive toxicants unless data are available showing no reproductive toxicity of the substance under evaluation. 

Hardin BD Reproductive toxicity of the glycol ethers. Toxicology 27 91-102, 1983... 

Nagano K, Nakayama E, Oobayashi H, et al Experimental studies on toxicity of ethylene glycol ethers in Japan. Environ Health Perspect 57 75-84, 1984... 

Arts JHE, Reuzel PGJ, Woutersen RA, Kuper CF, Falke HE, Klimisch HJ Repeated-dose (2 8-day) inhalation toxicity of isopropyl ethylene glycol ether in rats. Inhal Toxicol 4 43-55, 1992... 

The use of in vitro toxicity data and physiologically based kinetic modeling to predict dose-response curves for in vivo developmental toxicity of glycol ethers in rat and man. Toxicol Sci 118(2) 470 84... 

Owens, E.J., Weimer, J.T., Ballard, T.A., Ford, D.F., Samuel, J.B., Hopcus, M.W., Merkey, R.P., and Olson, J.S. Ocular, cutaneous, respiratory and Intratracheal toxicity of solutions of CS and EA 3547 In glycol and glycol ether in animals. U.S. Army Medical Research Laboratory, Edgewood Arsenal, Md. 

Grosjean, D., Atmospheric Chemistry of Toxic Contaminants. 2. Saturated Aliphatics Acetaldehyde, Dioxane, Ethylene Glycol Ethers, Propylene Oxide, J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 40, 1522-1531 (1990b). 

MW 44.06 unstable, ring cleaves readily CAS [75-21-8] used as a fumigant and sterilizing agent, and in the manufacture of many glycol ethers and ethano-lamines colorless gas with ether-like odor liquefies at 10.4°C density 0.88 g/mL at 10°C vapor pressure 1095 torr at 20°C soluble in water and most organic solvents highly flammable, toxic, and severe irritant. 

Fermentation-derived organic acids and their esters are potentially important chemical feedstocks for polymers and specialty polymers, but most significantly as alternative solvents for industrial and consumer applications. For example, lactate esters are derived from renewable carbohydrate raw materials such as cornstarch. They exhibit much lower toxicity compared with halogenated hydrocarbons and ethylene glycol ethers and are environmentally benign. Some studies suggested that lactate ester solvents have the potential of replacing petroleum-based solvents... 

Plasterer MR, Bradshaw WS, Booth GM, et al. 1985. Developmental toxicity of nine selected compounds following prenatal exposure in the mouse napthalene, p-nitrophenol, sodium selenite, dimethyl phthalate, ethylenethiourea, and four glycol ether derivatives. J Toxicol Environ Health 15 25-38. 

Figure 2. Relationship between the number of moles of ethylene oxide in octyl- or nonyl-phenol polyoxyethylene glycol ether surfactant molecules and the toxicity index of these surfactants in mixtures with (a) paraquat and (b) dalapon on corn plants.

One property of the surfactant molecule recently studied in detail has been the influence of the number of moles of ethylene oxide (EO) in the lipophilic side chain on herbicide penetration and activity. A surfactant with a small number of moles of EO—i.e., 1-5—or a short hydrophilic chain appears to be too nonpolar, whereas one with a large number of moles of EO—i.e., 40—is too large to form layers as efficiently as those with an intermediate number of moles—i.e., 10-20. The relationship between the number of moles of EO in three alkylarylpolyoxyethylene glycol ether surfactants and the toxicity of three different herbicide solutions is illustrated in Figure 3. 

Figure 3. Relationship between the number of moles of ethylene oxide in octylphenol (%), nonylphenol ( ), or laurylphenol ( J) polyoxyethylene glycol ether surfactant molecules and the toxicity index of these surfactants in mixtures with (a) paraquat, (b) dalapon, and (c) amitrole on corn plants. Herbicides applied at 1/64, 10, and 5 lb./ acre, respectively surfactant concentration was 0.005M in all cases. Toxicity index calculated by expressing fresh weight for each treatment as percentage of untreated control and subtracting this value from 100 (58)...

SAFETY PROFILE Questionable carcinogen with experimental neoplastigenic data. See also GLYCOL ETHERS. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of Cl . 

CONSENSUS REPORTS Reported in EPA TSCA Inventory. Glycol ether compounds are on the Community Right-To-Know List. SAFETY PROFILE Moderately toxic by ingestion. A skin and eye irritant. See also GLYCOL ETHERS. Combustible when exposed to heat can react with oxidizing materials. To fight fire, use alcohol foam, water, CO2, dry chemical. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and fumes. 

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