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

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

118 Evaluation

PolyEGDE covers several molecules of different ethylene oxides chain-lengths, which have different physical and chemical properties and probably also vary with respect to toxicology. The data found on the toxicity of any of the compounds covered by the name polyEGDE was very scarce. Also, some of the original data were not available and were only very summarily reported in RTECS.

PolyEGDE was of low acute oral toxicity, while toxicity by the dermal and the inhalation routes has not been assessed. A number of studies by dermal and eye application in rats and rabbits indicated that the substance is moderately irritating to skin and eyes. Human data supported that the substance is skin irritating. Studies in rats by direct intratracheal and intranasal application showed that the substance is also severely irritating to mucous membranes. The epithelial damage was however rapidly compensated by proliferation and regeneration. The irritative effect on the mucous membranes is not evaluated to be significant as direct application to the nasal and tracheal membranes would not normally occur.

Mutagenicity data in vitro on polyEGDE were overall negative with the indication that polyEGDE is cytotoxic from around 0.030 ng/ml. In vivo mutagenicity data on polyEGDE were negative. On this basis, polyEGDE is evaluated not to be genotoxic or mutagenic.

No data were available on repeated dose toxicity, on reproductive toxicity, or on carcinogenicity.

Overall, the critical effect on the scarce information available is evaluated to be irritation to the skin and eyes.