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Appendices 1-18 to: Report on the Health Effects of Selected Pesticide Coformulants

117     Summary

117.1     Description

Polyethylenglycoldodecylether (polyEGDE) is an alkyl ethoxylate of varying ethylene oxide chain length. It is a colourless to yellow water soluble liquid (100g/l) with a pleasant odour.

117.2     Toxicokinetics

No data were found.

117.3     Human toxicity

The only human toxicity data available report polyEGDE to by moderately skin irritating.

117.4     Animal toxicity

117.4.1     Single dose toxicity

LD50-values of 4150 and 8600 mg/kg b.w. in rats and of 3500, 4940 and 1170 mg/kg b.w. in mice are reported for different chain lengths. In dogs and monkeys, emesis and central nervous system depression was seen following single oral doses of 2000 and 5000 mg/kg. b.w., respectively.

Four different skin irritation studies were performed in rabbits, showing that application of 75-500 mg/kg b.w. polyEGDE caused mild to moderate irritation.

Results of eye irritation tests are contradicting: polyEGDE is reported not to be irritating in a low volume eye test/l  and in a Draize test (no details available), moderately eye irritant in another Draize test with 0.1 g polyEGDE and severely irritating with 0.750 mg in a RTECS quotation of a Czech reference.

Serious inflammation followed by necrosis of the nasal epithelium was seen in rats following single doses of 20-100 ml 1% polyEGDE applied into one nostril. Intratracheal injection of 100ml 1% polyEGDE revealed desquamation of the bronchial epithelium followed by hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration.

117.4.2     Repeated dose toxicity

No data were found.

117.4.3     Toxicity to reproduction

No data were found.

117.4.4     Mutagenic and genotoxic effects

PolyEGDE was reported to be negative in an Ames test and in a reverse mutation assay in Escherichia coli. The substance did not induce structural chromosome aberrations in Chinese hamster ovary cells, and the result of a SCE test was negative. A mouse lymphoma cell assay was negative overall, but showed some positive response at cytotoxic levels of 0.030 ml/l.

In vivo, polyEGDE was negative in a sex linked recessive lethal mutation test in drosophila melanogaster as well as in a micronucleus test in mice.

117.4.5     Carcinogenic effects

An NTP study was performed in rats and mice, but no report was issued, as the study was considered inadequate (by NTP).

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