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This is in response to
your inquiry dated April
18, 2005, to Dr. James
G. McNamara at the
National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID),
National Institutes of
Health (NIH), regarding
the potential of
2-butoxyethanol to cause
autoimmune disease.
We have conducted a
cursory search of the
medical literature and
find no evidence of an
association between
ethylene glycol
monobutyl ether
(2-butoxyethanol) and
autoimmune disease.
Information on
autoimmune diseases and
their causes is
available from the
National Institute of
Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases (NIAMS), the
NIH institute with
primary responsibility
for research on
autoimmune disorders.
The NIAMS can be reached
at the following mailing
address, telephone
numbers, and e-mail and
Web site addresses:
National Institute for
Arthritis,
Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases
Information
Clearinghouse
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
Telephone: 301-495-4484
Fax: 301-718-6366
E-mail:
niamsweb-L@mail.nih.gov
Web site:
http://www.niams.nih.gov
Regarding other health
risks, the risk of
cancer to humans from
exposure to ethylene
glycol monobutyl ether
(2-butoxyethanol) is
unknown. However, the
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
is currently conducting
studies to answer this
question.
This chemical is not
commonly associated with
significant human
poisoning. Exposures
usually occur in people
who work in factories
that produce products
using this chemical, and
the effects usually
involve inhalation
injury. One study
reported acute effects
of ingestion in a person
who drank liquid glass
cleaner containing
2-butoxyethanol on two
occasions. He developed
serious illness with
symptoms including
altered mental state,
difficulty breathing,
and blood and liver
enzyme abnormalities.
The patient was treated
using hemodialysis (a
method to filter the
blood) and recovered on
both occasions without
any lasting effects.
(Reference: Gualideri
JF, DeBoer L, Harris CR,
Corley R.J "Repeated
ingestion of
2-butoxyethanol: case
report and literature
review." Toxicol Clin
Toxicol. 2003;
41(1):57-62.)
Apparently, mice are
susceptible to liver
damage from chronic
exposure to this
chemical, but rats
(which have higher
levels of protective
antioxidants) are
not. Based on animal
studies, and because
people naturally have
much higher levels of
antioxidants in their
blood than either rats
or mice, humans should
be highly resistant to
liver toxicity following
exposure to
2-butoxyethanol.
(Reference: Michael L.
Cunningham. "A Mouse Is
Not a Rat Is Not a
Human: Species
Differences Exist."
Toxicological Sciences.
2002; 70:157-158)
Copies of the full
articles, as well as
additional published
information, are
available from a medical
library near you. You
can identify a library
near you through the Web
site of the Network of
Medical Libraries (NLM)
at:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/network<WBR>
.html.
We hope this information
will be helpful to you.
Sincerely,
NIAID Correspondence
Specialist
Office of Communications
and Public Liaison
National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious
Diseases |