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Ethylene glycol
Description: Ethylene glycol (C.A.S. 107-21-1) is a colorless, sweet-tasting liquid which is used primarily as an anti-freeze and in the manufacture of polyester fiber and film. During World War I, when it became of commercial interest, it was used as a substitute for glycerol in the manufacture of explosives. Ethylene glycol is also used as a heat-transfer fluid, in aircraft and runway de-icing mixtures, to provide freeze-thaw stabilization to latex coatings, to improve flexibility and drying time of oil-based paints containing alkyd resins, as a dehydrating agent for natural gas, in motor oil additives, and as an additive in the formulation of inks, pesticides, wood stains, adhesives, and other products. In explosive water-gels and slurries, it lowers the freezing point and acts as a coupling agent between water and the other components. High purity ethylene glycol is used as a solvent and suspending medium for ammonium perborate, the conductor in most electrolytic capacitors. Ethylene glycol can be used to make glycol ethers, chemicals which recently have been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage in women working in the manufacturing of semiconductor chips. Chemical properties: Ethylene glycol is an odorless liquid completely miscible with water and many organic liquids. Ethylene glycol markedly reduces the freezing point of water. It is a slight fire hazard when exposed to heat or flame, and a moderate explosion hazard when exposed to flame. It can react violently with chlorosulfonic acid and oleum. Synonyms for ethylene glycol are 1,2-dihydroxethane, 1,2- ethanediol, ethylene alcohol, ethylene dihydrate, glycol, glycol alcohol, and monoethylene glycol. Identification: U.S. manufacturers of Ethylene Glycol are: BASF Corporation, Mount Olive, NJ; Dow Chemical USA, Midland, MI ; Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY; Formosa Plastics Corporation USA, Livingston, NJ; Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Somerville, NJ; Huntsman Corporation, Salt Lake City, UT; Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX; Sun Company, Inc., Philadelphia, PA ; Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury, CT; and Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Los Angeles, CA. Health effects: If ethylene glycol is ingested, it causes initial central nervous system stimulation followed by depression; it later causes kidney damage which can cause death. It is very toxic to inhale in particulate form. Exposure Values: Regulation: Ethylene glycol is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as a residual on food. It is regulated by the EPA as an air toxic on the Hazardous Air Pollutant List, and as a volatile organic compound. It is regulated under the Clean Air Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; and the Toxic Substances Control Act. Under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986, releases of more than one pound of ethylene glycol into the air, water, and land must be reported annually and entered into the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). National Overview of 1998 Toxics Release Inventory See EPA's Toxic Release Inventory. Notations: The NIOSH recommended exposure limits (RELs) are time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations for up to a 10-hour workday during a 40-hour workweek. A short-term exposure limit (STEL) is designated by "ST" preceding the value; unless noted otherwise, the STEL is a 15-minute TWA exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a workday. A ceiling REL is designated by "C" preceding the value. Any substance that NIOSH considers to be a potential occupational carcinogen is designated by the notation "Ca." The OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL) are found in Tables Z-1, Z-2, and Z-3 of the OSHA General Industry Air Contaminants Standard (29 CFR 1910.1000). Unless noted otherwise, PEL are TWA concentrations that must not be exceeded during any 8-hour workshift of a 40-hour workweek. A STEL is designated by "ST" preceding the value and is measured over a 15-minute period unless noted otherwise. OSHA ceiling concentrations (designated by "C" preceding the value) must not be exceeded during any part of the workday; if instantaneous monitoring is not feasible, the ceiling must be assessed as a 15-minute TWA exposure. In addition, there are a number of substances from Table Z-2 (e.g., beryllium, ethylene dibromide, etc.) that have PEL ceiling values that must not be exceeded except for specified excursions. For example, a "5-minute maximum peak in any 2 hours" means that a 5-minute exposure above the ceiling value, but never above the maximum peak, is allowed in any 2 hours during an 8-hour workday. Information Sources:
Originally published in Environment Writer by the National Safety Council. Reprinted with permission. Environment Writer Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography Office of Marine Programs Narragansett, RI 02882 Tel: 401-874-6211; Fax: 401-874-6485 Disclaimer * Copyright 2002-2006 * All rights reserved. * University of Rhode Island |