ABSTRACT
Triethylene glycol may be released to the environment via effluents at sites where it is produced or used as a solvent, plasticizer in vinyl, polyester and polyurethane resins, and as a humectant in printing inks, and in the dehydration of natural gas. A series of aerobic river die-away tests, which utilized several differing sources of freshwater, suggest that rapid aerobic biodegradation is likely to be the most important removal mechanism of triethylene glycol from aquatic systems. Soil grab sample data pertaining to the biodegradation of triethylene glycol in soil were not located in the available literature. However, a series of aerobic river die-away tests, which utilized several differing sources of freshwater, have demonstrated that triethylene glycol should biodegrade rapidly in the environment.
