- * * Re. diethelene glycol formatting linkPotential Health Effects
---------------------------------- Ingestion: Low acute toxicity. Probable lethal dose to humans is 0.5-5 g/kg. Causes nerve depression, liver and kidney lesions and anuria (urination retardation). Causes irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Skin Contact: May be an irritant to skin on prolonged exposure. Eye Contact: May be an irritant to eyes and surrounding tissue. Chronic Exposure: Liver and kidney lesions and damage. Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions: Persons with pre-existing skin disorders or eye problems or impaired liver or kidney function may be more susceptible to the effects of the substance.
- * * Do you really want to ingest it? formatting link
- Blood concentrations of ethylene and diethylene glycol were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats at varying intervals following oral dosages of the glycols. 2. Ethylene and diethylene glycol in rat blood stored under refrigeration at 4 degrees +/- 10 degrees C for a period of 30 days exhibited minimal concentration losses, contrary to previous reports. 3. The amount of oxalate in the blood and kidneys of Sprague-Dawley rats doses with ethylene and diethylene glycol was quantitated. The animals dosed with ethylene glycol demonstrated significantly higher oxalate levels, particularly at 8 hr post-dosing, than similar animals dosed with diethylene glycol. 4. Ethylene glycol induced oxalate deposition within the kidney without significant histologic changes. Diethylene glycol induced histologic changes within the kidneys without kidney oxalate deposition. 5. Maximal kidney oxalate levels, following ethylene glycol dosage, occurred concurrently with peak blood oxalate concentrations. In the case of diethylene glycol, kidney oxalate levels did not peak until 4 hr after maximal blood oxalate levels. 6. Ethylene and diethylene glycol induced different modes of death in Sprague-Dawley rats.
- * * Is it really a food additive? I.e., is the monoethyl ether the same as DEG? formatting linkDIETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOETHYL ETHER
Biological Data
BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS
Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether administered orally or subcutaneously in doses of 3-5 ml/kg BW to rabbits produced an increased urinary excretion of glucuronic acid. This increase could account for only 0.8-2.3% of the dose administered. (Fellows et al., 1946)
- * * Do you really want to take a chance? formatting linkEncephalopathy and peripheral neuropathy following diethylene glycol ingestion
The authors report a 24-year-old man who developed encephalopathy and rapid quadriplegia following ingestion of a solution containing diethylene glycol (DEG). As quadriparesis evolved, motor response amplitudes were markedly reduced with preserved conduction velocities. Studies during clinical recovery revealed marked motor conduction velocity slowing and prolonged distal latencies. These data indicate that DEG intoxication may cause a primary acute axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy with demyelinating physiology during recovery.
- * * Sounds like this stuff *is* toxic. formatting linkEditorial Note Editorial Note: DEG, a known nephrotoxin and hepatotoxin, is used in industrial solvents and antifreeze. The mechanism of toxicity is unknown but probably is different from oxalate toxicity associated with ethylene glycol poisoning. Management of patients with DEG toxicity relies on early diagnosis with supportive and symptomatic care for multi-organ failure. Although data on outcome are limited, survival with resolution of signs and symptoms has been reported (1).
- * * Toxicity not high? formatting linkIn 1985 a scandal broke when diethylene glycol appeared to be added as an adulterant by a number of vintners of Austrian white wines, in order to make them sweeter and upgrade the dry wines to sweet wines; production of sweet wines is expensive and addition of sugar is easy to detect. The amount added was not high enough to be immediately toxic (one would have to ingest about 28 bottles per day for two weeks), however the adverse worldwide publicity caused very high export losses and led to adoption of severe wine laws in Austria.
-- ================================================= Do you like wine? Do you live in South Florida? Visit the MIAMI WINE TASTERS group at