{"Abbreviation":["EO"],"Absorption, Distribution and Excretion":"The study reported here examined the dosimetry of ethylene oxide (EO) in male B6C3F1 mice by direct determination of blood EO concentrations. Steady-state blood EO concentrations were measured during a single 4-hr nose-only inhalation exposure (0, 50, 100, 200, 300, or 400 ppm EO). In addition, glutathione (GSH) concentrations were measured in liver, lung, kidney, and testis to assess the role of the GSH depletion in the saturable metabolism previously observed in mice. Blood EO concentrations were found to increase linearly with exposure concentration up to 200 ppm. Markedly sublinear blood dosimetry was observed at exposure concentrations exceeding 200 ppm. An EO exposure concentration-dependent reduction in tissue GSH levels was observed, with both liver and lung GSH levels significantly depressed at EO exposure concentrations of 100 ppm or greater. /The/ results also indicate that depletion of GSH is likely responsible for nonlinear dosimetry of EO in mice and that GSH depletion corresponds with reports of dose-rate effects in mice exposed to EO.","Adverse Effects":"Neurotoxin - Sensorimotor","Aliases":["Ethylene Oxide","Oxirane","Epoxyethane","1,2-Epoxyethane","Oxacyclopropane","Dihydrooxirene","Anprolene","Oxidoethane","Oxyfume","Ethene oxide","Dimethylene oxide","Amprolene","Anproline","Aethylenoxid","Merpol","Oxiran","1,2-Epoxyaethan","Oxyfume 12","T-Gas","Oxirene, Dihydro-","Ethyleenoxide","Oxiraan","Ethox","Etylenu tlenek","FEMA No. 2433","Rcra waste number U115","NCI-C50088","Etilene","α,β-Oxidoethane","Ethylene","ENT-26263","ethyleneoxy","EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 042301","Chebi:27561","AI3-26263","Ciba-geigy 9138","Sterilizing gas ethylene oxide 100%","Oxide, Ethylene","1,2-Epoxy ethane","Dtxcid60600","200-849-9","617-762-0","ethyleneoxide","Qazi-ketcham","ETO","oxyde d'ethylene","UN 1040","Mfcd00014482","E.O.","epoxide or oxirane","Caswell No. 443","ethylenoxide","CCRIS 297","HSDB 170","Ethylene Oxide 1000 microg/mL in Triacetin","Einecs 200-849-9","UN1040","RCRA waste no. U115","monooxirane","Oxiranyl","ethylene-oxide","epoxy ethane","Ethylene-d4 oxide","Ethylene oxide solution","Ethylene oxide-13C?","Epitope ID:116215","75-21-8(Isooctane)","Ec 200-849-9","Schembl3587","Schembl15109","Ethylene oxide, \u003e=99.5%","Ethylene oxide, \u003e=99.9%","Schembl237328","Schembl973217","Schembl1190870","Schembl1315913","Chembl1743219","Ethylene oxide, purum, \u003e=99.8%","c0527","Akos009031564","Msk10755-1000t","75-21-8(Thf)","FE167236","E0689","E0690","E0692","E0693","InChI=1/C2H4O/c1-2-3-1/h1-2H","NS00005032","C06548","D03474","Ethylene oxide Solution in Toluene, 1000ug/mL","Ethylene Oxide Solution, 10,000 mg/L, 1 mL","Ethylene oxide 50000 microg/mL in Dichloromethane","Ethylene oxide 10000 microg/mL in Dimethylsulfoxide","Ethylene oxide, or ethlene oxide with nitrogen up to a total pressure of 1Mpa (10 bar) at 50 degrees C","Ethylene oxide, or ethlene oxide with nitrogen up to a total pressure of 1Mpa (10 bar) at 50 degrees C [UN1040] "],"Associated Disorders and Diseases":"Contact dermatitis, allergic [Category: Skin Disease]","Biological Half-Life":"No reports found; [TDR, p. 694]","Boiling Point":"51.3 °","CAS":"75-21-8","Chemical Classes":"Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)","ChemicalClasses":["ether"],"Chirality":"achiral","Color/Form":"Colorless ... gas at ordinary room temp and pressure; liquid below 12 °C","DTXSID":"0020600","Decomposition":"Liquid ethylene oxide is not detonable, but the vapor may be readily initiated into explosive decomposition.","Density":"0.8222 at 50 °F (EPA, 1998) - Less dense than water; will float g/cm\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003e","Ecotoxicity Values":"LC50; Species: Artemia sp. (Brine shrimp); Conditions: saltwater, static; Concentration: 350000 ug/L for 24 hr /formulated product/","Erowid Experience Reports":[],"Esters":[],"European Community (EC) Number":"200-849-9","Flash Point":"-0.4 to 0 °F (EPA, 1998)","Formating":[],"HMDB ID":"HMDB0255987","Health Effects":"At high doses (\u003e200 ppm) ethylene oxide irritates mucous membranes of the nose and throat; higher concentrations cause damage to the trachea and bronchi, progressing into the partial collapse of the lungs. High concentrations can cause pulmonary edema and damage the cardiovascular system. Because the odor threshold for ethylene oxide varies between 250 and 700 ppm, the gas will already be at toxic concentrations when it can be smelled. Ethylene oxide is carcinogenic, mutagenic and an irritant. With chronic low doses, an increased incidence of brain tumors and mononuclear cell leukemia was found in rats that had inhaled ethylene oxide at concentrations of 10, 33, or 100 mL/m3 over a period of two years.  Studies of workers exposed to ethylene oxide in ethylene oxide factories or hospital sterilizing rooms have shown an increased\nincidence of leukemia, stomach cancer, cancer of the pancreas and Hodgkin's disease.","HeavyAtomCount":3,"Human Toxicity Values":"No effect level: 5-10 ppm, during 10 yr; severe toxic effects: 60 min 250 ppm= 450 mg/cu m; symptoms of illness: 100 ppm= 180 mg/cu m; unsatisfactory \u003e10 ppm= 18 mg/cu m","IUPACName":"oxirane","Impurities":"Ethylene oxide is available commercially in the United States as a high-purity chemical that contains a maximum of 0.03% water, 0.003% aldehydes as acetaldehyde, and 0.002% acidity as acetic acid.","InChI":"InChI=1S/C2H4O/c1-2-3-1/h1-2H2","InChIKey":"IAYPIBMASNFSPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N","Interactions":"Cell transformation in vitro of C3H/10T1/2 cells, using gamma-radiation and ethylene oxide, in both the absence and presence of the cancer promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate, was studied. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate promotes transformation of C3H/10T1/2 cells to the same extent. In the dose ranges studied the average enhancement of the transformation frequency was 2.4 and 2.5 for ethylene oxide and gamma-radiation, respectively. The rad-equivalence of ethylene oxide in the presence of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate was calculated to be 75 + or - 52 rad/mMh (95% confidence interval) which is consistent with the value 78 + or - 14 rad/mMh (95% confidence interval) obtained without 12-O-teradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatment.","MeSH Headers":[{"Id":"M0007902","Link":"https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/M0007902.html","Name":"Ethylene Oxide","Ref":102},{"Id":"DescTree","Link":"https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html","Name":"MeSH Tree","Ref":104},{"Id":"PubMed from MeSH","Link":"https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html","Name":null,"Ref":129},{"Id":"M0006572","Link":"https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/M0006572.html","Name":"Disinfectants","Ref":130}],"MeSH Pharmacological Classification":[{"Id":"M0006572","Link":"https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/M0006572.html","Name":"Disinfectant","Ref":130}],"Mechanism of Action":"Ethylene oxide is an electrophilic agent that alkylates nucleophilic groups in biological macromolecules .... Since ethylene oxide is formed during the metabolism of ethylene, a natural body constituent, endogenous as well as exogenous sources of ethylene and ethylene oxide contribute to background alkylation of proteins such as hemoglobin and albumin, as well as DNA ... . N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)valine (HEVal) and hydroxyethylhistidine (HEHis) adducts have been frequently monitored in tissues of workers exposed to ethylene oxide in occupational settings ... . Background levels of HEVal in non-smokers ranged from 9 to 188 pmol/g globin ... Studies of smokers exposed to ethylene oxide in cigarette smoke ... and occupationally exposed workers ... have revealed higher levels of hemoglobin HEVal adducts among individuals with a GSTT1 null genotype (ie, homozygous deletion of GSTT1 gene) than among those with a GSTT1 positive genotype (ie, having at least one copy of the GSTT1 gene). ...","Melting Point":"-170.5 °F (EPA, 1998)","Metabolism/Metabolites":"Ethylene oxide reacts with glutathione to form cysteine derivatives, forms ethylene glycol by epoxide hydrolase with subsequent metabolism of the glycol, and reacts with chloride to form 2-chloroethanol. The relative importance of these pathways is undefined. Ethylene glycol glutathione conjugates are metabolites of ethylene oxide. ...","MolecularFormula":"C\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eH\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003eO","MolecularWeight":"44.05 g/mol","Non-Human Toxicity Values":"LD50 Rat (male) oral 330 mg/kg /From table/","Odor":"Sweet","Physical Description":"Ethylene oxide appears as a clear colorless gas with an ethereal odor with a flash point below 0 °F. Liquid less dense than water. Vapors heavier than air.  May polymerize exothermically if heated or contaminated. If the polymerization takes place inside a container, the container may rupture violently.  Vapors very toxic. Vapors irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Prolonged skin contact may result in delayed burns.   Used to make other chemicals, as a fumigant and industrial sterilant.","PubChemId":6354,"PubChemTitle":"Ethylene Oxide","Records":{"UNII":{"Impurities":[]}},"Reddit Experience Reports":[],"RefChem":"6431","RefCount":3,"RefCur":"","References":[{"Name":"Wikipedia","Urls":[{"Link":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene oxide","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]},{"Name":"Wikidata","Urls":[{"Link":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q407473","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]},{"Name":"PubChem","Urls":[{"Link":"https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6354","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]},{"Name":"Common Chemistry","Urls":[{"Link":"https://commonchemistry.cas.org/detail?cas_rn=75-21-8","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]},{"Name":"HMDB","Urls":[{"Link":"https://hmdb.ca/metabolites/HMDB0255987","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]},{"Name":"KEGG","Urls":[{"Link":"https://www.kegg.jp/entry/D03474","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]},{"Name":"UNII","Urls":[{"Link":"https://gsrs.ncats.nih.gov/ginas/app/ui/substances/JJH7GNN18P","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]},{"Name":"EPA DSSTox","Urls":[{"Link":"https://comptox.epa.gov/dashboard/chemical/details/DTXSID0020600","Name":"Ethylene oxide","Sub":false}]}],"Refs":["National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 6354, Ethylene oxide. Accessed August 24, 2026. \u003ca href=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6354\u003ehttps://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6354\u003c/a\u003e","U.S. Food and Drug Administration; National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Ethylene oxide. UNII: JJH7GNN18P. Global Substance Registration System. Accessed August 24, 2026. \u003ca href=https://gsrs.ncats.nih.gov/ginas/app/beta/substances/JJH7GNN18P\u003ehttps://gsrs.ncats.nih.gov/ginas/app/beta/substances/JJH7GNN18P\u003c/a\u003e"],"Reported Fatal Dose":"LD50 values are 72 mg/kg (rat, oral) and 187 mg/kg (rat, subcutaneous injection)","SMILES":"C1CO1","SaltData":[],"Salts":[],"Solubility":"Miscible (NTP, 1992)","Stability/Shelf Life":"HYDROLYZES SLOWLY IN AQ SOLN","StereoisomerData":[],"Stereoisomers":[],"Structure":"\u003csvg xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\" preserveAspectRatio=\"none\" style=\"display:block\" viewBox=\"0 0 17.444 17.46\"\u003e\u003crect width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" fill=\"#fff\"/\u003e\u003cdesc\u003eGenerated by the Chemistry Development Kit (http://github.com/cdk)\u003c/desc\u003e\u003cg fill=\"#ff0d0d\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\".8\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"none\" d=\"M0 0h18v18H0z\"/\u003e\u003cg class=\"mol\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"M16.338 16.353H1.106M1.106 16.353 6.601 6.83M16.338 16.353l-5.493-9.521\" class=\"bond\"/\u003e\u003cpath stroke=\"none\" d=\"M8.725 1.108q-.738 0-1.173.553-.428.548-.428 1.495 0 .946.428 1.494.435.547 1.173.547t1.167-.547q.429-.548.429-1.494 0-.947-.429-1.495-.429-.553-1.167-.553m0-.548q1.054 0 1.679.708.631.703.631 1.888 0 1.178-.631 1.887-.625.702-1.679.702T7.04 5.043q-.631-.703-.631-1.887t.631-1.888Q7.671.56 8.725.56\" class=\"atom\"/\u003e\u003cpath stroke=\"#ff0d0d\" d=\"m6.601 6.83-2.748 4.761M10.845 6.832l2.746 4.761\" class=\"hi\"/\u003e\u003c/g\u003e\u003c/g\u003e\u003c/svg\u003e","Title":"Ethylene oxide","Toxicity Data":"LC50 (rat) =  800 ppm/4H","Treatment":"There is no antidote for ethylene oxide poisoning. Treatment is supportive of respiratory and cardiovascular functions.","UNII":"JJH7GNN18P","Wikidata":"Q407473","Wikipedia":"Ethylene oxide","XLogP":-0.1}