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Data bank of environmental chemicals     |     The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
 


22.12.2025

Data bank of environmental properties of chemicals


Chemical 
Ethyleneglycol
CAS-number : 
107-21-1
 
Synonyms :
1,2-dihydroksietaani
1,2-dihydroxyethane
1,2-etaanidioli
1,2-ethandiol
1,2-ethanediol
2-hydroxyethanol.
ethane-1,2-diol
ethylene alcohol
ethylene dihydrate
ethyleneglycol
etyleeniglykoli
glycol
glycol alcohol
glykoli
monoethylene glycol
 
Sumformula of the chemical :
C2H6O2 C2H6O2
EINECS-number :
2034733
 
Uses : 
Solvent; antifreeze agent, heat transfer agents and in
polyester fiber and film manufacture.
 
Molecular weight : 
62.08
 
Vapor pressure, mmHg :
0.0878  at 25°C, Riddick et al. 1986
 
Water solubility, mg/l :
100000  > 100 000, MITI 1992
 
Melting point, °C :
-13 
-12.6  MITI 1992
 
Boiling point, °C :
197.6 
197.6  MITI 1992
 
Log octanol/water coefficient, log Pow :
-1.36  Hansch & Leo 1985
 
Henry's law constant, Pa x m3/mol :
0.0061  Howard 1990
 
Volatilization : 
Relativevolatility (nBuAc=1) = 0.01
 
Other physicochemical properties : 
Miscible; infinite.
 
Photochemical degradation in air : 
Photooxidation half-life in air:
3.5d - 8.3hr, based upon measured photooxidation rate constant
with ·OH in air (Howard 1991).

Ethylen glycol reacts with hydroxyl radicals in the atmosphere.

Based on a hydroxyl radical concentration of 1000000
molecules/cm3, a half-life of ethylene glycol is about
1 day in the atmosphere (Howard 1990).
 
Other reactions in atmosphere : 
Ethylene glycol reacts with hydroxyl radicals in the
atmosphere. 
Based on a hydroxyl radical concentration of 1000000
molecules/cm3, a half-life of ethylene glycol is about 1 day in
the atmosphere (Howard 1990).
 
Photochemical degradation in water : 
Photooxidation in aqueous systems will not be significant
(Howard 1990).

Photooxidation half-life in water:
64.6yr - 267d, based upon measured photooxidation rate 
constants with ·OH in water (Howard 1991).
 
Chemical oxygen demand, g O2/g :
1.29  5 days, Bridie et al. 1979
 
Biochemical oxygen demand, g O2/g :
0.47  5 days, Bridie et al. 1979
 
Half-life in air, days :
3.5  3.5d - 8.3hr,
0.35  based upon measured photooxidation rate constant in air.
  Howard 1991
 
Half-life in soil, days :
12  12d - 2d,
2  scientific judgement based upon aqueous aerobic biodegradation half-lives.
  Howard 1991
 
Half-life in water, days :
12  12d - 2d,
2  in surface water: scientific judgement based upon aqueous aerobic biodegradation half-lives.
24  24d - 4d,
4  in ground water: scientific judgement based upon aqueous aerobic biodegradation half-lives.
  Howard 1991
 
Aerobic degradation in water : 
Aerobic half-life:
12d - 2d, based upon grab sample, river die-away studies 
(Howard 1991).
 
Anaerobic degradation in water : 
Anaerobic half-life:
48d - 8d, scientific judgement based upon aqueous aerobic 
biodegradation half-lives (Howard 1991).
 
Total degradation in water : 
Ethylene glycol will readly biodegrade in water, half-life
several days. 
It is not expected to adsorb to sediment.

(Howard 1990).

Biodegradation:
83-96% by BOD
period: 14d
substance: 100 mg/l
sludge 30 mg/l
(MITI 1992).
 
Other information of degradation : 
Degradation was essentially complete in <1 - 4 days although
100% theoretical biological oxygen demand may not be realized
for several weeks. 
(Howard 1990).

In a river die-away test, degradation was completed in 3 days
at 20 °C and 5 - 14 days at 8 °C. 
(Evans & David 1974).
 
Bioconcentration factor, fishes :
10  3d, Golden ide, Freitag et al. 1985
 
Other information of bioaccumulation : 
Bioconcentration factor (algae):
190, 1d, Chlorella fusca (Freitag et al. 1985).
 
LD50 values to mammals in oral exposure, mg/kg :
5840  orl-rat
  --
1650  orl-cat, Sweet 1987
5500  orl-dog
6610  orl-gpg
7500  orl-mus
4700  orl-rat
 
LD50 values to mammals in non-oral exposure , mg/kg :
5614  ipr-mus
5010  ipr-rat
1000  ipr-rbt
3000  ivn-mus
3260  ivn-rat
2800  scu-rat
9530  skn-rbt
  Sweet 1987
 
LDLo values to mammals in oral exposure, mg/kg :
786  orl-hmn, Sweet 1987
398  orl-hmn
 
LDLo values to mammals in non-oral exposure , mg/kg :
3300  intramuscular-rat, Sweet 1987
5500  intramuscular-rbt
  --
2000  scu-cat, Sweet 1987
5000  scu-gpg
2700  scu-mus
 
TDLo values to mammals in oral exposure, mg/kg :
7500  orl-mus, 6-15d preg.
  effects on embryo or fetus
  specific developmental abnormalities
7500  orl-mus, 6-15d preg.
  specific developmental abnormalities
84  orl-mus, 1-21d preg.
  effects on newborn
88720  orl-mus, 7-14d preg.
  effects on fertility and newborn
15  orl-mus, 6-15d preg.
  maternal effects, eff. on fertility
50  orl-rat, 6-15d preg.
  specific developmental abnormalities
10  orl-rat, 6-15d preg.
  specific developmental abnormalities
12500  orl-rat, 6-15d preg.
  specific developmental abnormalities
25  orl-rat, 6-15d preg.
  maternal effects, eff. on fertility
  eff. on embryo of fetus
50  orl-rat, 6-15d preg.
  effects on fertility
  Sweet 1987
  --
5500  orl-child, Sweet 1987
 
TCLo values to mammals in inhalation exposure, mg/kg :
10000  ihl-hmn, Sweet 1987
 
Effects on microorganisms : 
Toxicity threshold (cell multiplication inhibition test):
bacteria (Pseudomonas putida): >10000 mg/l
(Bringmann & Kühn 1980a).
 
LOEC values to algae, mg/l :
2000  rpd, schr, Microcystis aeruginosa
  Bringmann & Kühn 1976
 
LC50 values to fishes, mg/l :
5000  > 5000, 24hr, Carassius auratus
  Bridie et al. 1979
  --
49300  7d, Poelicia reticulata,Könemann 1979
 
Other information of water organisms : 
Toxicity threshold (cell multiplication inhibition test):
green algae (Scenedesmus quadricauda): >10000 mg/l
protozoa (Entosiphon sulcatum): >10000 mg/l
(Bringmann & Kühn 1980a).

References
182Bridie, A.L. et al. 1979. The acute toxicity of some petrochemicals to goldfish. Water Res. 13: 623.
1680Bridie, A.L., Wolff, C.J.M. & Winter, M. 1979. BOD and COD of some petrochemicals. Water Res. 13: 627 - 630.
187Bringmann, G. & Kühn, R. 1976. Vergleichende Befunde der Schadwirkung wassergefährdender Stoffe gegen Bakterien (Pseudomonas putida) und Blaualgen (Microcystis aeruginosa). Gwf-Wasser-Abwasser 117(9).
188Bringmann, G. & Kühn, R. 1980a. Comparison of the toxicity thresholds of water pollutants to bacteria, algae and protozoa in the cell multiplication inhibition test. Water Res. 14: 231 - 241.
3084Evans, W. H. & David, E. J. 1974. Water Res. 8: 97 - 100.
3005Freitag, D. et al. 1985. Chesmosphere 14: 1589 - 1616.
2958Hansch, C and Leo, A. J. 1985. Medchem Project Issue No 26. Claremont C.A. Pomona College.
2992Howard, P. H. et al. 1990. Handbook of Environmental Fate and Exposure Data for Organic Chemicals. Vol. II: Solvents. Lewis Publishers, Inc. Chelsea. pp 546.
3120Howard, P.H., Boethling, R.S., Jarvis, W.F., Meylan, W.M. & Michalenko, E.M., Handbook of Environmental Degradation Rates, 1991. Lewis Publicers, Inc., Chelsea, Michigan, U.S.A., pp. 725.
761Könemann, W.H. 1979. Quantitative structure-activity relationships for kinetics and toxicity of aquatic pollutants and their mixtures in fish. Univ. Utrecht, Netherlands.
3105MITI 1992. Biodegradation and bioaccumulation data of existing chemicals based on the CSCL Japan. Compild under the Safety Division Basic Industries Bureau Ministry of International Trade & Industry, Japan. Edited by Chemicals Inspection & Testing Institute, Japan.
2971Riddick, J. A. et al. 1986. Organic solvents: Physical Properties and Methods of Purification, 4th Edit. New York: J. Wiley & Sons.
2101Sweet, D. 1987. Registry of toxic effects of chemical substances 1985 - 1986 edition. U.S. Department of health and human services.

 
 
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