Agent Name
Pentaethylene glycol
Major Category
Other Classes
Synonyms
3,6,9,12-Tetraoxatetradecane-1,14-diol; [ChemIDplus] PentaEG; [OECD SIDS - Pentaethylene Glycol]
Category
Ethylene Glycols
Description
Liquid; [OECD SIDS - Pentaethylene Glycol] Colorless liquid; [Alfa Aesar MSDS]
Sources/Uses
Used in commercial mixtures (with tri- and tetraethylene glycols) added to brake fluids and in cement grinding; [OECD SIDS - Pentaethylene Glycol] Not manufactured in the pure form in the US; Commercial mixtures with tetraethylene glycol are produced as byproducts following distillation of ethylene, diethylene, and triethylene glycols; [OECD SIDS - Ethylene Glycols Category]
Comments
Causes liver and male reproductive effects in 26-week intermittent oral studies of rats; [RTECS] Ethylene glycols: Category members demonstrate decreasing potential for systemic, reproductive, and developmental toxicity as the molecular weight increases; low dermal bioavailability; no evidence of skin sensitization in humans or guinea pigs; some evidence of mutagenicity; and no evidence of carcinogenicity. Pentaethylene glycol has the highest molecular weight in the category. The lowest molecular weight members produce renal toxicity by repeated oral exposure and developmental toxicity when rapidly ingested (bolus). These effects are not expected to occur with pentaethylene glycol; [OECD SIDS - Ethylene Glycols Category] A strong eye irritant; [Alfa Aesar MSDS]
Explanatory Notes
VP = 1.08 E-7 - 2.99 E-7 mm Hg at 25 deg C; [OECD SIDS - Pentaethylene Glycol]
Hepatotoxin
Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion
Processes
Industrial Processes with risk of exposure: