Ethylene glycol 2-ethylhexyl ether (EGEHE) was nominated by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for toxicological characterization based on the limited amount of toxicological data available and on concern for potential human exposure due to its high production and increasing use and structural similarity to other known toxic ethylene glycol ethers. The production volume reported in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Inventory Update Reporting rule increased from a range of 10,000 to 500,000 pounds in 1990 to >1 to 10 million pounds in 2002. The application of EGEHE for use in various formulations also appears to have increased. There is limited environmental and occupational exposure data available in the scientific literature to assess the acute exposure/response relationship, and potential chronic long-term adverse effects of EGEHE exposure. This project will identify worker populations at elevated risk of inhalation and surface exposure to EGEHE during manufacturing processes, and recruit approximately 20 workers from 3 facilities for inclusion in an exposure assessment study. In addition, NIOSH is developing a sampling and analytical method for quantitatively assessing EGEHE airborne vapors and aerosols and surface exposures, and validating both an air sampling method and a wipe sampling method to determine surface contamination. The final objective of the project will be to characterize industry wide occupational exposures including total number of workers exposed to EGEHE and evaluate patterns of exposure using available or novel industrial hygiene sampling methods. NIOSH researchers have met with representatives of a company that manufactures EGEHE and they have agreed to allow sampling at their facility, once a production schedule has been established. A visit was made to an automotive coating plant in that uses EGEHE but the usage was found to be limited and sporadic making the site not very useful for gaining exposure data. Additional sites are being expolored.
