ABSTRACT
Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas used in the production of ethylene glycol, acrylonitrile, and nonionic surfactants. It is also used as a fumigant for foodstuffs and textiles, as a sterilizing agent for surgical instruments, and as an agricultural fungicide. In animal studies, ethylene oxide displays developmental toxicity attributes in mice and rats when exposure is through the inhalational route. In the mouse, the chemical caused malformations reduced fetal weight and embryolethality when a regimen of 1200 ppm for single intervals ranging from 1 up to 25 h after mating was employed. The mechanism of this early effect could involve a nonmutational imprinting process that causes changes in gene expression. Ethylene oxide is a small molecule that is slightly hydrophobic. It has a low polar surface area.
