The toxicology of glycidol and some glycidyl ethers
Anderson, H.H.; Dunlap, M.K.; Hine, C.H.; Kodama, J.K.; Wellington, J.S.
A.M.A. Archives of Industrial Health 14(3): 250-264
1956
ISSN/ISBN: 0567-3933 PMID: 13361549 Document Number: 10193
The toxicity of glycidol and five related ethers- allyl glycidyl ether, n-butyl glycidyl ether, diglycidyl ether, isopropyl glycidyl ether, and phenyl glycidyl ether- was evaluated experimentally. a-Monochlorohydrin was included in the study, since it was purported to be a metabolic product of glycidol; experimental evidence did not substantiate this theory. The predominant signs of toxicologic activity varied according to the route of administration : depression of the central nervous system on intragastric administration; hypoxia, aerophagia, dyspnea, and irritation of the pulmonary tract on respiratory exposure, and irritation varying from erythema to eschar on cutaneous application. While the compounds varied somewhat in toxicity according to the route of administration, none of the compounds would be classified as more than moderately toxic on single exposure; most of them were slightly toxic or practically nontoxic. The five ethers ranged in their irritating effects on the eye from mild (BGE and PGE) to severe (DGE). Diglycidyl ether was severely irritating to the skin on single application; on repeated application glycidol and phenyl glycidyl ether also produced severe degrees of irritation. Only allyl and isopropyl glycidyl ethers caused any evidence of systemic toxicity on repeated exposure to 400 ppm of vapor. Similar to other common industrial chemicals, such as ammonia, acid gases, and acrolein, which possess good warning properties, the compounds offer relatively slight hazard from breathing of the vapors. Percutaneous absorption does not appear to offer any serious hazard in industrial use because of the low toxicity by this route. All the compounds produce skin irritation on repeated contact, and dermatitis may occur in personnel exposed cutaneously. Some typical case histories, exemplifying industrial exposure, are reported.
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