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ATSDR clinician brief : Ethylene oxide
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07/28/2022
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Description:Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a colorless and flammable gas with a sweet, fruity odor at room temperature. It dissolves in water, alcohol, and most water-miscible organic solvents. It has an estimated half-life in air ranging from 69-149 days, while its half-life in water ranges from 12 to 14 days in sterile, deionized, and natural river water. Increased salinity decreases the half-life of ethylene oxide (ATSDR 2020, EPA 2018).
Ethylene oxide is mostly used to produce other chemicals such as ethylene glycol (antifreeze). A small percentage of ethylene oxide is used in the sterilization or fumigation of certain equipment (about 50% of all sterile medical devices), cosmetics, and food (ATSDR 2020, EPA 2018, NTP 2021). Ethylene oxide is highly effective as a sterilant gas where it can penetrate packaging (such as cardboard, shrink wrap, paper, and other wrappings) and destroy bacteria and viruses (ATSDR 2020).
CS332432-A
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Clinician-Brief-Ethylene-Oxide-508.pdf
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Pages in Document:9 numbered pages
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[PDF-281.86 KB]
