EPA-560/ll-80-005 P880-183197 II I 11\11111 II III II 11111 1111111 1111111 INVESTIGATION OF SELECTED POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS: EPOXIDES Dennis A. Bogyo Sheldon S. Lande William M. Meylan Philip H. Howard Joseph Santodonato March 1980 FINAL REPORT Contract No. 68-01-3920 SRC No. L1342-05 Project Officer - Frank J. Letkiewicz Prepared for: Office of Toxic Substances U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151 REPRODUCED BY CE U S DEPARTMENT OF COMMER ., NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE SPRINGFIELD, VA 22161 TECHNICAL REPORT DATA (Please read illWtictiollS on the reverse before completing) I REPORT NO. 2 3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSIO~NO. EPA-560/ll-80-005 1 . ~~~~ llf03:;n~? -l. TITLE AND SUBTITLE S. REPORT DATE Investigation of Selected Potential March 1980 Environmental Contaminants: Epoxides 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE 7 AuTHORiS) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO Dennis A. Bogyo, Sheldon S. Lande, William M. Meylan, TR 80;...535 Philip H. Howard, Joseph Santodonato 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO. Center for Chemical Hazard Assessment Syracuse Research Corporation 11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO. Merrill Lane EPA 68-01-3920 Syracuse, New York 13210 12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED Final Technical Report - Office of· Toxic Substances 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 16. ABSTRACT This report reviews the potential environmental and health hazards associated with the commercial use of selected epoxide compounds. Four commercial compounds are discussed in the report: ethylene oxide - primarily used as a chemical intermediate; propylene oxide - prinar1y used as a chemical intermediate; butylene oxide-primarily used as a stabilizer for chlorinated solvents; and diepoxybutane - primarily used as a specialty chemical. Data on physical-chemical properties, production methods and quantities, commercial uses and factors affecting environmental contamination, as well as information related to human health and biological effects, are reviewed and evaluated. ", 17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANAL YSIS ----_. J. DESCRIPTORS b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS c, COSA TI Field/Group ._. .._--_.. _-- ethylene oxide epoxides propylene oxide toxicity butylene oxide production diepoxybutane connnercial use chemistry environmental fate 18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT 19. SECURI TY CLASS (Tllis RepON) 21. NO. OF PAGI:.S Document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service 20. SECURITY CLASS (This pagp) 22. PRICE Sprin!2:fielcl VA 22151 "'IA Form 2220·1 (9.73) NOTICE This report has been reviewed by the Office of Toxic Substances, EPA, and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Information has been reviewed on ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and diepoxybutane. Annual production for 1978 was estimated at 5,012 million pounds, 2,047 million pounds, 5-7 million pounds, and <1,000 pounds, respectively. Ethylene oxide is primarily consumed as feedstock for ethylene glycol, glycol ethers, polyols and polyol ethers, and ethanolamines. The propylene oxide consumption pattern is similar; it is feedstock for polyols used for poly­ urethane polymers, propylene glycol, non-urethane polyols, and polyol and glycol ethers. Butylene oxide is primarily consumed as a stabilizer for chlorinated solvents. Small amounts «0.1 million pounds) of ethylene oxide and of propylene oxide are applied as sterilants or pesticides to commodities, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, tobacco, and other items. Although this use is only a small fraction of the total epoxide consumption, it represents a considerable potential for human exposure. The epoxides are prepared by oxidation of the corresponding olefins. Ethylene oxide manufacture utilizes catalytic oxidation of ethylene, while propylene oxide currently utilizes chlorohydrination or peroxidation. No quantitative information was available on environmental release of the manufactured epoxides. Release factors are definitely low, but since annual epoxide manufacturing volume is so large, release of even a small fraction of the total could result in several hundred thousand pounds of emissions. Release could arise through fugitive emissions, venting losses, losses during handling, and release with waste streams. Application of epoxide as a sterilant or a pesticide places the user of the treated product at risk of exposure. iii Epoxides are inadvertent products of combustion. They have been observed in emissions from fuel burning, in automotive exhaust, and in cigarette smoke. Also, alkanes can react by several atmospheric routes to yield epoxides. The epoxides are mobile in the environment, but degrade by chemical and biochemical routes. In water they are subject to hydrolysis and reactions with anions such as chloride and bromide. At ambient temperature (25°C), maximum half-life is about two weeks. They degrade in soil by pathways similar to those in water. Epoxides will oxidize in the atmosphere. They appear about as reactive as acyclic and other cyclic ethers, which places them among the most reactive compounds. The epoxides applied as sterilants or pesticides are lost from the treated object by a combination of volatilization and degradation (with reaction pathways similar to those described for water). Although the epoxides are mobile (high vapor pressure and water solubility), the information on hand did not characterize transport between water and the atmosphere. The epoxides will not bioaccumulate. The epoxides have produced varied toxic effects in man following acute inhalation or dermal exposure. These effects have involved the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, skin, and bone marrow. Dermal exposure to ethylene oxide has resulted in formation of large blisters. Clinical reports of reactions following intravenous use of ethylene oxide-sterilized medical devices show that hemolysis, anaphylactic reactions, and sensitization to the compound may be produced if sterilized plastic devices have been poorly aerated before use. Conjunctivitis and corneal burns have been seen following exposure to high levels of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide vapor. Diepoxybutane is the most acutely toxic agent of the group, showing lethal toxicity (i.p.) in experimental animals at levels of 16 mg/kg; ethylene oxide produces similar effects at levels approximately tenfold higher. iv Metabolism of the epoxides is rapid, with most of the administered compound being removed by urinary excretion. Distribution throughout the body is widespread, although localization in certain tissues occurs. Long-term exposure to the epoxides in worker populations has produced effects on the bone marrow, reproductive system, central nervous system, and peripheral blood. Lower limb neuropathy seen in three ethylene oxide steri­ lizer operators was shown to be reversible. Leukemia and anisocytosis have been reported in workers at ethylene oxide facilities, but this represents a small number of cases (4) in two reports. A Russian report has indicated increased miscarriages and toxicosis in pregnant ethylene oxide workers; levels of exposure and quantitation were not available to assess the relevance of this study. Animal studies on prolonged exposure to epoxides show similar types of toxic effects, including bone marrow effects, anemia, neurotoxicity, and reproductive effects. There is therefore a good possibility that epidemi­ ological studies now underway will confirm the preliminary reports made on some of these long-term human effects. The epoxides have demonstrated mutagenic activity in a wide variety of systems. These include the Ames test, mutation of several plant species, various microbial system mutations, Drosophila lethal mutations, and mammalian genetic damage. This last system involves an increased production of chromosome breaks in mice and rats exposed to ethylene oxide or diepoxybutane. Diepoxy­ butane is the most effective mutagen of the group, due to its bifunctional reactive character, and acts as a direct mutagen. Ethylene oxide, propylene v oxide, and butylene oxide also act directly in decreasing order of reactivity. However, ethylene oxide, unlike diepoxybutane, shows increased activity in the Ames test after microsomal enzyme activation, indicating that a more mutagenic product may be produced by this process. Teratogenic effects have been observed following intravenous injection of pregnant rats with relatively large doses of ethylene oxide. Chloroethanol, a potential reaction product of ethylene oxide, has produced teratogenic effects in the chick embryo, but not in the CD-l mouse. Studies on the carcinogenic potential of the epoxides have produced varied results. Diepoxybutane has been studied most extensively and has been shown to induce tumors following skin painting and injection. This compound has also acted as a tumor initiating agent when applied to mouse skin before administration of a promoting agent. One report concerning germ-free mice raised on ethylene oxide-sterilized bedding showed numerous tumors in these animals. However, this was