Chemical Sampling Information
	2-Methoxyethanol
Quick Links General Description Exposure Limits Health Factors Monitoring Search    [use word(s)/phrase] Table of Contents By Name A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z By CAS Number General Description Synonyms: EGME; Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether; Glycol monomethyl ether; Jeffersol EM; Methyl Cellosolve®; Methyl oxitol OSHA IMIS Code Number: 0590 IMIS Name History: Methyl Cellosolve® prior to 7/26/2005 Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 109-86-4 NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: KL5775000 Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1188 127 NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Methyl Cellosolve®: chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more Exposure Limits OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 25 ppm, 80 mg/m3 TWA; Skin OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 25 ppm, 80 mg/m3 TWA; Skin OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 25 ppm, 80 mg/m3 TWA; Skin American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 0.1 ppm, 0.3 mg/m3 TWA; Skin National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 0.1 ppm, 0.3 mg/m3 TWA; Skin Health Factors NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 200 ppm Potential symptoms: Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headache, drowsiness; lassitude; coughing, sore throat; ataxia, tremor; anemic pallor; confusion; unconsciousness; stinging, redness of skin; clouded vision; in animals: reproductive, teratogenic effects; SKIN ABS; INGES ACUTE: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. Health Effects: Irritation-Eyes, Nose, Throat, Skin---Mild (HE16); Blood disorders (HE12); CNS effects (HE7); Suspect reproductive hazards---Teratogenesis and other reproductive impairment (HE5) Affected organs: Eyes, respiratory system, CNS, blood, kidneys, reproductive system, hematopoietic system. Notes: Exposure to workers in a circuit board manufacturing plant was shown to occur mainly via absorption of vapor or liquid through skin, confirming an earlier study with volunteers, which concluded that biological monitoring is preferred over environmental monitoring for assessment of exposure. It is metabolized mainly by alcohol dehydrogenase to methoxyacetaldehyde and further by aldehyde dehydrogenase to 2-methoxyacetic acid, metabolites which are thought to be involved in some of the toxic effects. Measurement of the major metabolite, 2-methoxyacetic acid, in plasma or urine is a suitable marker of exposure. Excretion in urine occurred with an average half-life of 77 hours in a 4-hour inhalational exposure study with human volunteers. The metabolite, 2-methoxyacetaldehyde, tested positive in the Syrian hamster embryo cell transformation assay for carcinogenic potential. Adduct formation with proteins, possibly by the aldehyde metabolite, has been observed in embryos and plasma from pregnant rats administered 14C-labeled 2-Methoxyethanol. Studies in animals have demonstrated dose-related teratogenicity and other toxicities in the offspring of pregnant animals exposed to airborne concentrations of methyl cellosolve at or below the PEL. Teratogenic effects, including mental retardation and dysmorphic features of the head and neck, as well as a significantly higher level of chromosomal aberrations (breaks, polyploidy and endoreduplication), were reported in children exposed in utero while their mothers worked for a company in Mexico that manufactured radio and television capacitors. Date Last Revised: 12/14/2004 Literature Basis: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Methyl Cellosolve®. International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether. MMWR: Criteria for a recommended standard: occupational exposure to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, and their acetates. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 41(21): 386, 1992. Chang, H.-Y., Lin, C.-C., Shih, T.-S., Chan, H., Chou, J.-S. and Huang, Y.-S.: Evaluation of the protective effectiveness of gloves from occupational exposure to 2-Methoxyethanol using the biomarkers of 2-methoxyacetic acid levels in the urine and plasma. Occup. Environ. Med. 61(8): 697-702, 2004. Cheever, K.L., et al.: 2-Methoxyethanol metabolism, embryonic distribution, and macromolecular adduct formation in the rat: the effect of radiofrequency radiation-induced hyperthermia. Toxicol. Lett. 122(1): 53-67, 2001. Dhalluin, S., et al.: Apoptosis inhibition and ornithine decarboxylase superinduction as early epigenetic events in morphological transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells exposure to 2-methoxyacetaldehyde, a metabolite of 2-Methoxyethanol. Toxicol. Lett. 105(2): 163-175, 1999. El-Zein, R.A., Abdel-Rahman, S.Z., Morris, D.L. and Legator, M.S.: Exposure to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether: clinical and cytogenetic findings. Arch. Environ. Health 57(4): 371-376, 2002. Groeseneken, D., Veulemans, H., Masschelein, R. and Van Vlem, E.: Experimental human exposure to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 61(4): 243-247, 1989. Kežić, S., Mahieu, K., Monster, A.C. and de Wolff, F.A.: Dermal absorption of vaporous and liquid 2-Methoxyethanol and 2-ethoxyethanol in volunteers. Occup. Environ. Med. 54(1): 38-43, 1997. Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether. In, Sittig's Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 1. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 1094-1096. Saavedra, D., Arteaga, M. and Tena, M.: Industrial contamination with glycol ethers resulting in teratogenic damage. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 837: 126-137, 1997. Monitoring Methods used by OSHA Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method: sampling media: Charcoal Tube (100/50 mg sections, 20/40 mesh) analytical solvent: (95:5) Methylene Chloride:Methanol maximum volume: 10 Liters   maximum flow rate: 0.1 L/min current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FID method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA 53) method classification: Fully Validated note: Samples for 2-methoxyethyl acetate and/or for 2-ethoxyethyl acetate should be refrigerated upon receipt at the analytical laboratory. sampling media: Charcoal Tube (100/50 mg sections, 20/40 mesh) analytical solvent: (95:5) Methylene Chloride:Methanol maximum volume: 48 Liters   maximum flow rate: 0.1 L/min (long term) maximum volume: 15 Liters   maximum flow rate: 0.1 L/min (short term) current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FID method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA 79) method classification: Fully Validated note: Use these larger maximum volumes to monitor sub-ppm levels. Samples for 2-methoxyethyl acetate and/or for 2-ethoxyethyl acetate should be refrigerated upon receipt at the analytical laboratory. Wipe Sampling Method: sampling media: charcoal pad note: Seal in glass vial for shipment. All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine at 202-693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.