ETHYLENE OXIDE

📋 Quick facts

Description: ETHYLENE OXIDE — ETHYLENE OXIDE. Formula: C2H4O. MW: 44.05. IUPAC: oxirane.

Quick Facts:

• Category: other
• Also Known As: Ethylene oxide
• Regulatory Note: Restricted in the US

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Ethylene oxide (EO) is a reactive gas used as a sterilant and chemical ingredient in manufacturing
• At very high concentrations (3000 ppm), ethylene oxide vapor can penetrate skin, but penetration is minimal without protective clothing
• Poly(ethylene oxide), a polymer derived from ethylene oxide, has been studied as a wound-healing material when combined with zinc oxide nanoparticles
• Claims that ethylene glycol ethers (chemicals made from ethylene oxide) are endocrine disruptors lack substantiated evidence according to a systematic review

⚗️ Chemical Overview

Ethylene oxide is a flammable gas with a somewhat sweet odor. It dissolves easily in water. Ethylene oxide is a man-made chemical that is used primarily to make ethylene glycol (a chemical used to make antifreeze and polyester). A small amount (less than 1%) is used to control insects in some stored agricultural products and a very small amount is used in hospitals to sterilize medical equipment and supplies. Ethylene Oxide can cause cancer, developmental toxicity, female reproductive toxicity and male reproductive toxicity according to state or federal government labeling requirements. Ethylene oxide appears as a clear colorless gas with an ethereal odor with a flash point below 0 °F. Liquid less dense than water. Vapors heavier than air. May polymerize exothermically if heated or contaminated. If the polymerization takes place inside a container, the container may rupture violently. Vapors very toxic. Vapors irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Prolonged skin contact may result in delayed burns. Used to make other chemicals, as a fumigant and industrial sterilant.

Source(s): Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), CAMEO Chemicals, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🤰 Pregnancy Safety Note

Listed in California Safe Cosmetics Program as carcinogen or reproductive toxicant

🌍 Regulatory Status