US EPA

3041960 

Technical Report 

Health effects of selected chemicals 4-5. 2,2'-Oxydiethanol (Diethylene glycol) 

Nordic steering group for assessment of health effects of chemicals 

1999 

RISKLINE/2000010012 

15 

1999 

English 

is a chapter of 3160596 Health effects of selected chemicals

The main health hazard of DEG is associated with acute oral exposure. Experience in man following the administration of sulfonamide and other medicines formulated in DEG, has shown that ingestion of about 1 ml/kg body weight (1000 mg/kg) can lead to severe intoxication with fatal consequences. Depression of the central nervous system is the main effect after exposure to single high doses. Diethylene poisoning in man is characterized by nausea, dizziness, pain in the region of the kidneys, initial polyuria followed by oligura, anuria and death in a uraemic coma. Severe pathological effects seen are the hydropic degeneration of the kidney tubules and centrilobular hydropic degeneration of the liver. The acute toxicity of DEG in man is greater than in animals. In the last few poisoning epidemics it appears that DEG, an inexpensive solvent, has been more profitable to use than the more expensive propylene glycol or glycerin. In experimental animals DEG has a low acute toxicity with LD50 values being greater than 2000 mg/kg body weight by oral and dermal administration. The inhalation toxicity is also low. The LC50 (4 h) is greater than the maximum aerosol concentration that could be generated technically (4.6 mg/l). The clinical signs of toxicity are similar in mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and dogs, and resemble those reported for humans. The toxic effects of DEG are a dose-dependent increase in urine excretion resulting from the hygroscopic properties of the substance, a narcotic effect and development of metabolic acidosis. The anuria and uremia are mostly reasonably explained on the basis of mechanical stoppage of the flow of urine due to profound swelling of the epithelium of the convulated tubules. DEG is not irritating to the skin or eyes of experimental animals, and it does not induce skin sensitization in the guinea-pig maximisation. The oral NOAEL for a 28-day study was 940 mg/kg/day for rats, and in a two-year study 1210 and 1160 mg/kg/day for male and female rats, respectively. The target organ was the kidney. No carcinogenic potential can be derived from the available studies. In initiation-promotion tests DEG did not act as tumor promoter. Treatment related bladder tumors seem to be a consequence of mechanical irritation of the mucous membrane of the bladder due to the formation of calcium oxalate bladder stones. DEG has no potential to induce mutations. Reduction in fertility, embryotoxicity and impairment of post-natal development were only found at maternally toxic doses in mice, rats and hamster.