Skip Navigation
ChemIDplus A TOXNET DATABASE Lite•Browse•Advanced

Substance Name: Ethylene oxide
RN: 75-21-8
UNII: JJH7GNN18P
InChIKey: IAYPIBMASNFSPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Note

  • A colorless and flammable gas at room temperature and pressure. Ethylene oxide is a bactericidal, fungicidal, and sporicidal disinfectant. It is effective against most micro-organisms, including viruses. It is used as a fumigant for foodstuffs and textiles and as an agent for the gaseous sterilization of heat-labile pharmaceutical and surgical materials. (From Reynolds, Martindale The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p794)

Molecular Formula

  • C2-H4-O

Molecular Weight

  • 44.0526
 

Classification Codes

Classification Codes

  • Agricultural Chemical
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Disinfectants
  • Fungicide, Bactericide, Wood Preservative
  • Human Data
  • Insecticide
  • Mutation Data
  • Reproductive Effect
  • Skin / Eye Irritant
  • Tumor Data

Superlist Classification Codes

  • Known to be a Carcinogen
  • Overall Carcinogenic Evaluation: Group 1
  • Reportable Quantity (RQ) = 10 lb
  • Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ) = 1000 lb
  • TWA (1 ppm); Suspected human carcinogen
  • TWA see 1910.1047

Names and Synonyms

Name of Substance

  • Ethylene oxide

MeSH Heading

  • Ethylene oxide

Synonyms

  • 1,2-Epoxyaethan
  • 1,2-Epoxyaethan [German]
  • 1,2-Epoxyethane
  • Aethylenoxid
  • Aethylenoxid [German]
  • AI3-26263
  • Amprolene
  • Anprolene
  • Anproline
  • Caswell No. 443
  • CCRIS 297
  • Dihydrooxirene
  • Dimethylene oxide
  • EC 200-849-9
  • EINECS 200-849-9
  • ENT-26263
  • EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 042301
  • Epoxyethane
  • Ethene oxide
  • Ethyleenoxide
  • Ethyleenoxide [Dutch]
  • Ethylene (oxyde d')
  • Ethylene (oxyde d') [French]
  • Ethylene oxide
  • Etilene (ossido di)
  • Etilene (ossido di) [Italian]
  • ETO
  • Etylenu tlenek
  • Etylenu tlenek [Polish]
  • FEMA No. 2433
  • HSDB 170
  • Merpol
  • NCI-C50088
  • Oxacyclopropane
  • Oxane
  • Oxidoethane
  • Oxiraan
  • Oxiraan [Dutch]
  • Oxiran
  • Oxirane
  • Oxirene, dihydro-
  • Oxyfume
  • Oxyfume 12
  • RCRA waste number U115
  • T-Gas
  • UN 1040
  • UNII-JJH7GNN18P

Systematic Names

  • Ethylene oxide
  • Oxirane

Superlist Names

  • Ethylene oxide
  • Ethylene oxide (30% or less), propylene oxide mixture
  • Ethylene oxide, or ethlene oxide with nitrogen up to a total pressure of 1Mpa (10 bar) at 50 degrees C
  • Ethylene oxide, or ethlene oxide with nitrogen up to a total pressure of 1Mpa (10 bar) at 50 degrees C [UN1040] [Poison gas]
  • Oxirane
  • RCRA waste no. U115
  • UN1040

Registry Numbers

CAS Registry Number

  • 75-21-8

FDA UNII

  • JJH7GNN18P

Other Registry Numbers

  • 142175-32-4
  • 184288-32-2
  • 19034-08-3
  • 37341-05-2
  • 436859-78-8
  • 99932-75-9

System Generated Number

  • 0000075218

Structure Descriptors

InChI

1S/C2H4O/c1-2-3-1/h1-2H2

InChIKey

IAYPIBMASNFSPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Smiles

C1CO1

Toxicity

Organism Test Type Route Reported Dose (Normalized Dose) Effect Source
cat LDLo subcutaneous 100mg/kg (100mg/kg)   "Beitrage zur Toxikologie des Athylenoxyds und der Glykole, Dissertation," Hofbauer, A., Pharmakologischen Institut der Universitat Wurzburg, Fed. Rep. Ger., 1933Vol. -, Pg. -, 1933.
dog LC50 inhalation 960ppm/4H (960ppm) SENSE ORGANS AND SPECIAL SENSES: LACRIMATION: EYE

GASTROINTESTINAL: "HYPERMOTILITY, DIARRHEA"

GASTROINTESTINAL: NAUSEA OR VOMITING		 AMA Archives of Industrial Health. Vol. 13, Pg. 237, 1956.
dog LD50 intravenous 330mg/kg (330mg/kg) BEHAVIORAL: CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD

SENSE ORGANS AND SPECIAL SENSES: OTHER: EYE

GASTROINTESTINAL: NAUSEA OR VOMITING		 Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Vol. 61, Pg. 309, 1971.
guinea pig LC50 inhalation 1500mg/m3/4H (1500mg/m3)   "Toxicometric Parameters of Industrial Toxic Chemicals Under Single Exposure," Izmerov, N.F., et al., Moscow, Centre of International Projects, GKNT, 1982Vol. -, Pg. 67, 1982.
guinea pig LD50 oral 270mg/kg (270mg/kg)   Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Vol. 23, Pg. 259, 1941.
human TCLo inhalation 12500ppm/10S (12500ppm) SENSE ORGANS AND SPECIAL SENSES: OTHER CHANGES: OLFACTION Journal of Hygiene. Vol. 32, Pg. 409, 1932.
mouse LC50 inhalation 836ppm/4H (836ppm)   National Technical Information Service. Vol. PB214-270,
mouse LD50 intraperitoneal 175mg/kg (175mg/kg)   Gigiena i Sanitariya. For English translation, see HYSAAV. Vol. 48(1), Pg. 23, 1983.
mouse LD50 intravenous 290mg/kg (290mg/kg)   Acta Pharmacologica et Toxicologica. Vol. 43, Pg. 69, 1978.
rabbit LDLo intravenous 175mg/kg (175mg/kg) SENSE ORGANS AND SPECIAL SENSES: OTHER: EYE

BEHAVIORAL: MUSCLE WEAKNESS

BEHAVIORAL: REGIDITY		 Journal of Hygiene. Vol. 32, Pg. 409, 1932.
rat LC50 inhalation 800ppm/4H (800ppm) LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: OTHER CHANGES

LIVER: OTHER CHANGES

KIDNEY, URETER, AND BLADDER: OTHER CHANGES 		"Toxicology of Drugs and Chemicals," Deichmann, W.B., New York, Academic Press, Inc., 1969Vol. -, Pg. 258, 1969.
rat LD50 oral 72mg/kg (72mg/kg)   Special Publication of the Entomological Society of America. Vol. 78-1, Pg. 17, 1978.
rat LD50 subcutaneous 187mg/kg (187mg/kg)   Gigiena i Sanitariya. For English translation, see HYSAAV. Vol. 48(1), Pg. 23, 1983.
rat LDLo unreported 200mg/kg (200mg/kg) LIVER: OTHER CHANGES

LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: OTHER CHANGES

KIDNEY, URETER, AND BLADDER: OTHER CHANGES 		"Toxicology of Drugs and Chemicals," Deichmann, W.B., New York, Academic Press, Inc., 1969Vol. -, Pg. 258, 1969.
women TCLo inhalation 500ppm/2M (500ppm) GASTROINTESTINAL: NAUSEA OR VOMITING

BEHAVIORAL: CONVULSIONS OR EFFECT ON SEIZURE THRESHOLD

LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: OTHER CHANGES		 Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy. Vol. 15, Pg. 384, 1981.

Physical Properties

Physical Property Value Units Temp (deg C) Source
Melting Point -1.12E+02 deg C   EXP
Boiling Point 10.6 deg C   EXP
log P (octanol-water) -0.3 (none)   EXP
Water Solubility 1.00E+06 mg/L 25 EXP
Vapor Pressure 1310 mm Hg 25 EXP
Henry's Law Constant 1.48E-04 atm-m3/mole 25 EXP
Atmospheric OH Rate Constant 7.60E-14 cm3/molecule-sec 25 EXP

Physical property data is provided to ChemIDplus by SRC, Inc.