Is ethylene glycol harmful to the skin?

The substance ethylene glycol is actually very toxic to people's skin. If it is inhaled without caution, it will cause great side effects to the body, and even directly affect the patient's cardiopulmonary function, causing the symptoms of cardiopulmonary function to become very obvious. Therefore, it is necessary to receive timely treatment, so as to effectively control the progression of the disease.

Toxicity: oral LD50 for rats = 5.8 ml/kg, oral LD50 for mice = 1.31-13.8 ml/kg.

Routes of entry: inhalation, ingestion, and percutaneous absorption.

Health Hazards: There are no reports of acute or chronic poisoning from this product in China. Most acute poisonings abroad are caused by accidental ingestion. Inhalation poisoning is manifested by recurrent syncope, nystagmus, and lymphocytosis. Acute poisoning after oral administration is divided into three stages: the first stage is mainly characterized by central nervous system symptoms, which in mild cases are similar to those of ethanol poisoning, while in severe cases, coma, convulsions, and finally death occur rapidly; in the second stage, cardiopulmonary symptoms are obvious, and severe cases may have pulmonary edema, bronchopneumonia, and heart failure; the third stage is mainly characterized by varying degrees of renal failure. The estimated lethal dose of this drug for humans is 1.4 ml/kg (1.56 g/kg).

First aid measures Skin contact: Take off contaminated clothes and rinse with plenty of running water. Eye contact: Lift the eyelids and rinse with running water or saline. Seek medical attention.

Inhalation: Move quickly away from the scene to fresh air. Keep the airways open. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. If breathing stops, perform artificial respiration immediately and seek medical attention.

Ingestion: Drink plenty of warm water and induce vomiting. Gastric lavage and diarrhea. Seek medical attention. If breathing stops, perform artificial respiration immediately. Seek medical attention.

Toxicity to Pets:

Ethylene glycol can be obtained from motorcycle antifreeze, the ethylene glycol in motorcycle antifreeze is added with bittering agent and the amount is small. It is not a threat to humans, but if accidentally mixed with pet (cat, dog) food, it can cause poisoning and kidney failure in pets.

Toxicity: Low toxicity.

Acute toxicity: LD508.0～15.3g/kg (oral in mice); 5.9～13.4g/kg (oral in rats); 1.4ml/kg (oral in humans, lethal)

Subacute and chronic toxicity: After rats inhaled 12 mg/m3 (continuously for multiple times) for eight days, 2/15 animals had corneal opacity and blindness; 9/28 people who inhaled a 40% ethylene glycol mixture had transient fainting; 14/38 people who inhaled a 40% ethylene glycol mixture heated to 105°C and repeatedly inhaled it had nystagmus, and 5/38 people had an increase in lymphocytes.

Hazardous characteristics: There is a risk of combustion and explosion when exposed to open flames, high heat or contact with oxidants. If exposed to high heat, the pressure inside the container will increase, causing the container to crack and explode.

Combustion (decomposition) products: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water.