Ethylene oxide, properly called oxirane by IUPAC, is the organic compound with the formulaC 2H 4O. It is a cyclic ether. (A cyclic ether consists of an alkane with an oxygen atom bonded to two carbon atoms of the alkane, forming a ring.) Ethylene oxide is a colorless flammable gas at room temperature, with a faintly sweet odor; it is the simplest epoxide: a three-membered ring consisting of one oxygen atom and two carbon atoms. Because of its special molecular structure, ethylene oxide easily participates in addition reactions; e.g., opening its ring and thus easily polymerizing. Ethylene oxide is isomeric with acetaldehyde and with vinyl alcohol.
Although it is a vital raw material with diverse applications, including the manufacture of products like polysorbate 20 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) that are often more effective and less toxic than alternative materials, ethylene oxide itself is a very hazardous substance. At room temperature it is a flammable, carcinogenic, mutagenic, irritating, and anaesthetic gas, with a misleadingly pleasant aroma.
How Ethylene Oxide Works in Sterilization of Critical Medical Supplies
How does ethylene oxide (EO) work? Worldwide, EO is the primary way to sterilize medical supplies. Current safety practices for the use of EO have been rigorously examined and proven safe in at least 13 scientific studies over the past 40 years. This industry-standard, FDA-recognized process currently is the only way to sterilize approximately 50 percent of critical medical products—specifically, complex devices that have connectors or materials that are not compatible with any other method of sterilization.
Medline is an Illinois-based company that produces, packages and distribute a variety of critical medical supplies, including sterile surgical packs that contain all of the disposable items necessary for a wide range of procedures – from tonsillectomies, C-sections and knee replacem...
published: 14 Nov 2018
Ethylene Oxide: An Essential Chemistry - Uses
Ethylene Oxide is a versatile and essential chemical building block that is used to create many products you use every day, from soaps and detergents, to products that keep your car running. Companies that make and work with Ethylene Oxide are actively investing in research and advanced product stewardship technologies so that they can continue to help protect the health of our communities. Learn more in this new video.
published: 09 Jul 2021
Doctors group says ethylene oxide is necessary despite cancer concerns
A group of doctors has urged the FDA to keep Ethylene Oxide available for sterilizing medical equipment.
published: 25 Oct 2019
Ethylene Oxide Worries Dominate Waukegan Meeting
Waukegan and Gurnee residents are worried about ethylene oxide in the blood of people living near the Medline plant medical sterilization facility. CBS 2's Jermont Terry reports.
published: 17 Dec 2019
Clinician Overview: Ethylene Oxide
This instructional video is designed to increase awareness among healthcare professionals about ethylene oxide and its health effects. It also intends to enhance competency in the recognition, management, and counseling of patients exposed to environmental hazards.
published: 12 Aug 2024
Illinois tests find ethylene oxide in blood of residents
The use of cancer-causing ethylene oxide is likely to get a hard look from Georgia lawmakers next year. And much of the information may come from Illinois.
published: 14 Dec 2019
The Benefits of Ethylene Oxide
Ethylene oxide is critical to the building & construction, automotive, healthcare, and semiconductor industries. Watch our new video to learn more about #BenefitsofEthyleneOxide.
published: 27 Mar 2024
Dr. Joe Schwarcz discusses ethylene oxide
published: 03 Feb 2023
Ethylene Oxide & Occupational Exposure Concerns
Ethylene oxide is an organic compound (with the formula C2H4O). According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), ethylene oxide (EtO) is produced in large volumes and is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of several industrial chemicals, the most notable of which is ethylene glycol. It is also used as a fumigant in certain agricultural products and as a sterilant for medical equipment and supplies.
OSHA reports that EtO possesses several physical and health hazards that merit special attention. It is both flammable and highly reactive. Acute exposures to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Both human and animal studies show that EtO is a carcinogen that ...
How does ethylene oxide (EO) work? Worldwide, EO is the primary way to sterilize medical supplies. Current safety practices for the use of EO have been rigorou...
How does ethylene oxide (EO) work? Worldwide, EO is the primary way to sterilize medical supplies. Current safety practices for the use of EO have been rigorously examined and proven safe in at least 13 scientific studies over the past 40 years. This industry-standard, FDA-recognized process currently is the only way to sterilize approximately 50 percent of critical medical products—specifically, complex devices that have connectors or materials that are not compatible with any other method of sterilization.
Medline is an Illinois-based company that produces, packages and distribute a variety of critical medical supplies, including sterile surgical packs that contain all of the disposable items necessary for a wide range of procedures – from tonsillectomies, C-sections and knee replacements to liver transplants and open-heart surgeries.
These packs are customized to meet the needs of specific health care systems and physicians…and can contain as many as 200 separate items…from draping, gowns and gauze to plastic tubing, sponges and medical devices, such as chemotherapy ports. Sterilization of these materials is necessary for infection prevention and overall public health. Conducting non-sterile surgeries is not an option for obvious patient risk and hospital liability.
Here’s how the ethylene oxide sterilization process actually works.
How does ethylene oxide (EO) work? Worldwide, EO is the primary way to sterilize medical supplies. Current safety practices for the use of EO have been rigorously examined and proven safe in at least 13 scientific studies over the past 40 years. This industry-standard, FDA-recognized process currently is the only way to sterilize approximately 50 percent of critical medical products—specifically, complex devices that have connectors or materials that are not compatible with any other method of sterilization.
Medline is an Illinois-based company that produces, packages and distribute a variety of critical medical supplies, including sterile surgical packs that contain all of the disposable items necessary for a wide range of procedures – from tonsillectomies, C-sections and knee replacements to liver transplants and open-heart surgeries.
These packs are customized to meet the needs of specific health care systems and physicians…and can contain as many as 200 separate items…from draping, gowns and gauze to plastic tubing, sponges and medical devices, such as chemotherapy ports. Sterilization of these materials is necessary for infection prevention and overall public health. Conducting non-sterile surgeries is not an option for obvious patient risk and hospital liability.
Here’s how the ethylene oxide sterilization process actually works.
Ethylene Oxide is a versatile and essential chemical building block that is used to create many products you use every day, from soaps and detergents, to produc...
Ethylene Oxide is a versatile and essential chemical building block that is used to create many products you use every day, from soaps and detergents, to products that keep your car running. Companies that make and work with Ethylene Oxide are actively investing in research and advanced product stewardship technologies so that they can continue to help protect the health of our communities. Learn more in this new video.
Ethylene Oxide is a versatile and essential chemical building block that is used to create many products you use every day, from soaps and detergents, to products that keep your car running. Companies that make and work with Ethylene Oxide are actively investing in research and advanced product stewardship technologies so that they can continue to help protect the health of our communities. Learn more in this new video.
Waukegan and Gurnee residents are worried about ethylene oxide in the blood of people living near the Medline plant medical sterilization facility. CBS 2's Jerm...
Waukegan and Gurnee residents are worried about ethylene oxide in the blood of people living near the Medline plant medical sterilization facility. CBS 2's Jermont Terry reports.
Waukegan and Gurnee residents are worried about ethylene oxide in the blood of people living near the Medline plant medical sterilization facility. CBS 2's Jermont Terry reports.
This instructional video is designed to increase awareness among healthcare professionals about ethylene oxide and its health effects. It also intends to enhanc...
This instructional video is designed to increase awareness among healthcare professionals about ethylene oxide and its health effects. It also intends to enhance competency in the recognition, management, and counseling of patients exposed to environmental hazards.
This instructional video is designed to increase awareness among healthcare professionals about ethylene oxide and its health effects. It also intends to enhance competency in the recognition, management, and counseling of patients exposed to environmental hazards.
The use of cancer-causing ethylene oxide is likely to get a hard look from Georgia lawmakers next year. And much of the information may come from Illinois.
The use of cancer-causing ethylene oxide is likely to get a hard look from Georgia lawmakers next year. And much of the information may come from Illinois.
The use of cancer-causing ethylene oxide is likely to get a hard look from Georgia lawmakers next year. And much of the information may come from Illinois.
Ethylene oxide is critical to the building & construction, automotive, healthcare, and semiconductor industries. Watch our new video to learn more about #Benefi...
Ethylene oxide is critical to the building & construction, automotive, healthcare, and semiconductor industries. Watch our new video to learn more about #BenefitsofEthyleneOxide.
Ethylene oxide is critical to the building & construction, automotive, healthcare, and semiconductor industries. Watch our new video to learn more about #BenefitsofEthyleneOxide.
Ethylene oxide is an organic compound (with the formula C2H4O). According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), ethylene oxide (EtO) is pro...
Ethylene oxide is an organic compound (with the formula C2H4O). According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), ethylene oxide (EtO) is produced in large volumes and is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of several industrial chemicals, the most notable of which is ethylene glycol. It is also used as a fumigant in certain agricultural products and as a sterilant for medical equipment and supplies.
OSHA reports that EtO possesses several physical and health hazards that merit special attention. It is both flammable and highly reactive. Acute exposures to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Both human and animal studies show that EtO is a carcinogen that may cause leukemia and other cancers. EtO is also linked to spontaneous abortion, genetic damage, nerve damage, peripheral paralysis, muscle weakness, as well as impaired thinking and memory.
Due to these concerns, workplace exposures to ethylene oxide in the United States are addressed in specific standards for general industry, shipyard employment and the construction industry. The OSHA EtO standard requires employers to conduct personal monitoring unless they are specifically exempt.
OSHA has developed a Fact Sheet to help educate workers and employers about exposure hazards associated with ethylene oxide. The document states that employers should train and communicate information to affected workers, utilize engineering controls and work practices to control exposures, provide personal protective equipment, and take other health and safety measures.
These are just a few things to know about occupational exposure concerns to ethylene oxide. To learn more about this or other health and safety, occupational, environmental or air quality issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark http://www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. http://www.emsl.com
LA Testing http://www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental http://www.zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine http://www.iaq.net
VOETS - Verification, Operations and Environmental Testing Services http://www.voets.nyc
Ethylene oxide is an organic compound (with the formula C2H4O). According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), ethylene oxide (EtO) is produced in large volumes and is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of several industrial chemicals, the most notable of which is ethylene glycol. It is also used as a fumigant in certain agricultural products and as a sterilant for medical equipment and supplies.
OSHA reports that EtO possesses several physical and health hazards that merit special attention. It is both flammable and highly reactive. Acute exposures to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Both human and animal studies show that EtO is a carcinogen that may cause leukemia and other cancers. EtO is also linked to spontaneous abortion, genetic damage, nerve damage, peripheral paralysis, muscle weakness, as well as impaired thinking and memory.
Due to these concerns, workplace exposures to ethylene oxide in the United States are addressed in specific standards for general industry, shipyard employment and the construction industry. The OSHA EtO standard requires employers to conduct personal monitoring unless they are specifically exempt.
OSHA has developed a Fact Sheet to help educate workers and employers about exposure hazards associated with ethylene oxide. The document states that employers should train and communicate information to affected workers, utilize engineering controls and work practices to control exposures, provide personal protective equipment, and take other health and safety measures.
These are just a few things to know about occupational exposure concerns to ethylene oxide. To learn more about this or other health and safety, occupational, environmental or air quality issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark http://www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. http://www.emsl.com
LA Testing http://www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental http://www.zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine http://www.iaq.net
VOETS - Verification, Operations and Environmental Testing Services http://www.voets.nyc
How does ethylene oxide (EO) work? Worldwide, EO is the primary way to sterilize medical supplies. Current safety practices for the use of EO have been rigorously examined and proven safe in at least 13 scientific studies over the past 40 years. This industry-standard, FDA-recognized process currently is the only way to sterilize approximately 50 percent of critical medical products—specifically, complex devices that have connectors or materials that are not compatible with any other method of sterilization.
Medline is an Illinois-based company that produces, packages and distribute a variety of critical medical supplies, including sterile surgical packs that contain all of the disposable items necessary for a wide range of procedures – from tonsillectomies, C-sections and knee replacements to liver transplants and open-heart surgeries.
These packs are customized to meet the needs of specific health care systems and physicians…and can contain as many as 200 separate items…from draping, gowns and gauze to plastic tubing, sponges and medical devices, such as chemotherapy ports. Sterilization of these materials is necessary for infection prevention and overall public health. Conducting non-sterile surgeries is not an option for obvious patient risk and hospital liability.
Here’s how the ethylene oxide sterilization process actually works.
Ethylene Oxide is a versatile and essential chemical building block that is used to create many products you use every day, from soaps and detergents, to products that keep your car running. Companies that make and work with Ethylene Oxide are actively investing in research and advanced product stewardship technologies so that they can continue to help protect the health of our communities. Learn more in this new video.
Waukegan and Gurnee residents are worried about ethylene oxide in the blood of people living near the Medline plant medical sterilization facility. CBS 2's Jermont Terry reports.
This instructional video is designed to increase awareness among healthcare professionals about ethylene oxide and its health effects. It also intends to enhance competency in the recognition, management, and counseling of patients exposed to environmental hazards.
The use of cancer-causing ethylene oxide is likely to get a hard look from Georgia lawmakers next year. And much of the information may come from Illinois.
Ethylene oxide is critical to the building & construction, automotive, healthcare, and semiconductor industries. Watch our new video to learn more about #BenefitsofEthyleneOxide.
Ethylene oxide is an organic compound (with the formula C2H4O). According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), ethylene oxide (EtO) is produced in large volumes and is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of several industrial chemicals, the most notable of which is ethylene glycol. It is also used as a fumigant in certain agricultural products and as a sterilant for medical equipment and supplies.
OSHA reports that EtO possesses several physical and health hazards that merit special attention. It is both flammable and highly reactive. Acute exposures to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Both human and animal studies show that EtO is a carcinogen that may cause leukemia and other cancers. EtO is also linked to spontaneous abortion, genetic damage, nerve damage, peripheral paralysis, muscle weakness, as well as impaired thinking and memory.
Due to these concerns, workplace exposures to ethylene oxide in the United States are addressed in specific standards for general industry, shipyard employment and the construction industry. The OSHA EtO standard requires employers to conduct personal monitoring unless they are specifically exempt.
OSHA has developed a Fact Sheet to help educate workers and employers about exposure hazards associated with ethylene oxide. The document states that employers should train and communicate information to affected workers, utilize engineering controls and work practices to control exposures, provide personal protective equipment, and take other health and safety measures.
These are just a few things to know about occupational exposure concerns to ethylene oxide. To learn more about this or other health and safety, occupational, environmental or air quality issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark http://www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. http://www.emsl.com
LA Testing http://www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental http://www.zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine http://www.iaq.net
VOETS - Verification, Operations and Environmental Testing Services http://www.voets.nyc
Ethylene oxide, properly called oxirane by IUPAC, is the organic compound with the formulaC 2H 4O. It is a cyclic ether. (A cyclic ether consists of an alkane with an oxygen atom bonded to two carbon atoms of the alkane, forming a ring.) Ethylene oxide is a colorless flammable gas at room temperature, with a faintly sweet odor; it is the simplest epoxide: a three-membered ring consisting of one oxygen atom and two carbon atoms. Because of its special molecular structure, ethylene oxide easily participates in addition reactions; e.g., opening its ring and thus easily polymerizing. Ethylene oxide is isomeric with acetaldehyde and with vinyl alcohol.
Although it is a vital raw material with diverse applications, including the manufacture of products like polysorbate 20 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) that are often more effective and less toxic than alternative materials, ethylene oxide itself is a very hazardous substance. At room temperature it is a flammable, carcinogenic, mutagenic, irritating, and anaesthetic gas, with a misleadingly pleasant aroma.