A Cross-Sectional Study of Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Process Employees

• Published in: Archives of environmental health Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 346 - 351
• Main Authors: Cook, R. R., Bodner, K. M., Kolesar, R. C., Uhlmann, C. S., Chemical, Dow, Vanpeenen, P. F. D., Dickson, G. S., Flanagan, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01.11.1982
• Subjects: Adult; Air Pollutants - poisoning; Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis; Air Pollutants, Occupational - poisoning; Anemia - chemically induced; Blood Cell Count; Cross-Sectional Studies; Ethylene Glycols - analysis; Ethylene Glycols - poisoning; Humans; Infertility, Male - chemically induced; Leukopenia - chemically induced; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases - chemically induced; Testis - drug effects
• ISSN: 0003-9896; 2331-4303
• DOI: 10.1080/00039896.1982.10667589

Human exposures to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether have been associated with hematological and neurological abnormalities. Recent animal toxicology studies have also reported testicular atrophy. To determine whether employees potentially exposed to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether during manufacturing and packaging had a higher prevalence of anemia, leukopenia, or sterility than an in-plant comparison group, a crosssectional study was conducted at the Michigan Division of Dow Chemical U.S.A. Blood samples on 65 of 97 potentially exposed and control white males, and semen samples from a subset of 15 were analyzed. With the possible exception of smaller testicular size, no gross abnormalities or clinically meaningful differences in hematological or fertility indices were noted. Results of regression modeling suggested that white blood cells and hemoglobin might be decreased at higher exposure levels.