| 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
.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 |