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2-Ethoxyethanol

May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)

CAS number: 110–80–5

NIOSH REL: 0.5 ppm (1.8 mg/m3) TWA [skin]

Current OSHA PEL: 200 ppm (740 mg/m3) TWA [skin]

1989 OSHA PEL: Same as current PEL

1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 5 ppm (18 mg/m3) TWA [skin]

Description of Substance: Colorless liquid with a sweet, pleasant, ether-like odor.

LEL(@200 F): 1.7% (10% LEL(@200 F), 1,700 ppm)

Original (SCP) IDLH: 6,000 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by AIHA [1963] that investigators concluded from animal experiments that substantially saturated atmospheres (6,000 ppm) at ordinary room temperatures will not produce serious injury in 1 hour [Waite et al. 1930].

Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA

Lethal concentration data:

Species Reference LC50(ppm) LCLo(ppm) Time Adjusted 0.5-hrLC (CF) Derivedvalue
RatG. pig

Mouse

NPIRI 1974Waite et al. 1930

Werner et al. 1943

2,000—–

1,820

—–3,000

—–

7 hr24 hr

7 hr

4,800 ppm (2.4)10,950 ppm (3.65)

4,368 ppm (2.4)

480 ppm1,095 ppm

437 ppm

 

Lethal dose data:

Species Reference Route LD50(mg/kg) LDLo(mg/kg) Adjusted LD Derived value
MouseRat Eastman 1982Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1963 oraloral 2,4512,125 ———- 4,575 ppm3,967 ppm 458 ppm397 ppm

 

Other animal data: Some investigators have stated that at ordinary room temperatures substantially saturated atmospheres (i.e., about 6,000 ppm) will not produce serious injury in 1 hour [Waite et al. 1930].

Human data: Volunteers with some work experience reported that odor levels of 125 ppm were noticeable and that the odor level that would be intolerable was greater than 255 ppm [Clayton and Clayton 1982].

 

REFERENCES:

1. AIHA [1963]. Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (2-ethoxyethanol). In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 24:288-289.

2. Clayton GD, Clayton FE, eds. [1982]. Patty’s industrial hygiene and toxicology. 3rd rev. ed. Vol. 2C. Toxicology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p. 3926.

3. Eastman Chemical Products [1982]. Material safety data sheet: EKTASOLVE® EE solvent. Kingsport, TN: Eastman Chemical Products, Inc., MSDS-10, 170A-1 (10-82), pp. 1-7.

4. Gig Tr Prof Zabol [1963]; 32(3):48-54 (in Russian).

5. NPIRI [1974]. Raw materials data handbook, physical and chemical properties, fire hazard and health hazard data. Vol. 1. Organic solvents. Bethlehem, PA: National Printing Ink Research Institute, p. 54.

6. Waite CP, Patty FA, Yant WP [1930]. Acute response of guinea pigs to vapors of some new commercial organic compounds. III. “Cellosolve” (mono-ethyl ether of ethylene glycol). Public Health Rep 45:1459-1466.

7. Werner HW, Mitchell JL, Miller JW, von Oettingen WF [1943]. Acute toxicity of vapors of several monoalkyl ethers of ethylene glycol. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 25:157-163.