ABSTRACT
Tetraethylene glycol may be released to the environment via effluents at sites where it is produced or used as a solvent for nitrocellulose, lacquers, and coating compositions, and as a plasticizer. Physical removal of tetraethylene glycol from air by precipitation and dissolution in clouds may occur. The most probable human exposure would be occupational exposure, which may occur through dermal contact or inhalation at workplaces where it is produced or used. Soil grab sample and river die-away test data pertaining to the biodegradation of tetraethylene glycol in soil and natural waters were not located in the available literature. Yet, a few of aerobic biological screening studies, which utilized settled waste water, sewage, or activated sludge for inocula, indicate that tetraethylene glycol should biodegrade in the environment.
