Ethyne Glycol Research Paper

A chemical that is used every day by almost every person around the world is ethylene glycol. Many people know this chemical by its common name of antifreeze, but it is also used as a solvent and in hydraulic brake fluids. This liquid chemical is clear and colorless with primary threats to the environment through penetrations of soil and groundwater systems. Ethylene glycol can also cause acute and chronic health problems if exposed to. (Ethylene Glycol) There are three main routes of exposure for ethylene glycol: inhalation, ingestions, and skin and eye contact. Ethylene glycol has low volatility, but becomes hazardous to inhale when heated, sprayed, or agitated. The chemical can cause mild irritation to the skin. Ingestion is the fasted
route of exposure. When ingested the chemical can cause renal failure and cardiopulmonary effects. (Environmental Health and Medicine Education) Any amount of ethylene glycol swallowed is harmful. The threshold limit value for the chemical is 100 mg/m3 in aerosol form. (Chemical Sampling Information - Ethylene Glycol) The estimated lethal dose level for humans is between 1,400-1,600 mg/kg with the oral dose lethal level at 1.4 mL/kg. (Davila & Tanasescu, 2014, p.85) Various animal testing has been done to determine the LC50 (Lethal Concentration) and LD50 (Lethal Dose).
Testing is performed for LC50 by calculating the concentration of ethylene glycol over a specific time until a 50% death rate is reached.( OSH Answers Fact Sheets) Goldfish (Carassius auratus) LC50 equals >5,000,000 ug/L concentration for 24 hours. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) LC50 equals >20000000 ug/L concentration for 96 hours. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) LC50 equals >1000000 ug/L concentration for 24 hours. LD50 is determined by given a known amount of ethylene glycol to test animals that cause the death of 50% of the test subjects. (OSH Answers Fact Sheets) A mouse (Mus) LD50 for oral consumption equals 5,500 mg/kg. Rat (Rattus) LD50 for oral consumption equals 4,700 mg/kg. Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) LD50 for applied to the skin equals 9,530 uL/kg. (Material Safety Data Sheet Ethylene Glycol) There have been several studies done with animal trying to determine if ethylene glycol is a carcinogen, but none of the studies have produced any association between the two. It is determine thought that since ethylene glycol is teratogenic to humans since studies on mice and rats have shown results of skeletal dysplasia, neural tube closure and craniofacial effects. (Medical Management Guidelines for Ethylene Glycol) There have been no links showing that ethylene glycol is a
xenobiotic. The treatment for ethylene glycol poisoning is to use another chemical, ethanol. Ethanol causes the ethylene glycol to stop the metabolism of the ethylene glycol from going into its more toxic states. (Environmental Health and Medicine Education)The reason why ethanol is used is because the two chemicals will compete against each other for oxidation through alcohol dehydrogenase. (Frey, 2001) In order to study human exposure to ethylene glycol a dose-response assessment would be used. Different levels of ethylene glycol will be given to test animals in order to determine health effects and death rate of each animal. The results would be used to determine the effect that ethylene glycol has on humans. Weight of each animal would be recorded to help determine amount per weight ratio. (Friis, 2012, p.61)