Did you ever wonder how your
bandages were sterilized? Think of it this way, your bandages are manufactured
in some company and the workers are busy touching the bandages while they
package them into boxes. Turns out Ethylene Oxide is used to prevent you from
placing bacteria or other infectious agents on your open wounds. Ethylene Oxide
is a 3 membered ring with the chemical formula: C2H4O,
and can come in two forms gas (flammable) and liquid (below 15°F), (6). It has a sweet- ether like
odor to it and is colorless at room temperature so it is often times hard to
detect (6). Asides from being used to sterilize bandages it is useful in other
disinfectants, detergents, intermediaries in other chemical reactions and has many
other uses, (7). It gets its disinfecting properties by disrupting the DNA of
bacterial microorganisms, stopping them from growing and multiplying on
surfaces (2). It is produced by the oxidation of ethylene with air or oxygen (8).
Ethylene Oxide is almost everywhere you go it is found in vents, and even
automobile exhausts (3).
This chemical can therefore have
many routes of exposure to us, such as ingestion (the least common),
inhalation, skin contact, and eye contact (1). Now this chemical seems like it
does more good than harm but that’s not actually the case. It can cause
symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, coma and even death (1). Most
medical associations even classify Ethylene Oxide as a carcinogen because of
its cancer-causing properties (1). Sadly this chemical was found in 15 batches
of baby powder produced by the company Johnson & Johnson in India and got its
license removed by the FDA (5). Shame on you Johnson & Johnson no one wants
this carcinogen on their bottoms. If you want to still disinfect but avoid
these horrible symptoms try using hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid or even
hypochlorite (4). These are all alternatives to Ethylene Oxide that are much
safer and are also approved by the FDA (4).
References:
¡
(1) ARC, Specialty Products. (2013).
Ethylene Oxide. Identification Of The Substance or Mixture And Of The Supplier.
Retrieved from: http://www.balchem.com/sites/default/files/SDS_ARC_Ethylene%20Oxide_2013-04-01.pdf
¡
(2) Aspenberg, P., Lindqvist, S.
(1998). Information Health Care, 69(2): 173-176. Ethene Oxide and bone
induction. Retrieved from: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/17453679809117622
¡
(3) EPA United States Environmental
Protection Agency.(2000). Ethylene Oxide. Uses. Retrieved from:
¡ (4) HER, Health Care
Environmental Resource Center. (n.d). Pollution Prevention and Compliance
Assistance Information for the Healthcare Industry. Sterilants and
Disinfectants in Healthcare Facilities. Retrieved from: http://www.hercenter.org/hazmat/steril.cfm#alternatives
¡ (5) Inoyri,R.(2013).
International Business Times. Cancer-Causing Agent Found in Johnson &
Johnson Baby Powders. Retrieved from: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/463154/20130501/cosmetic-brand-johnson-license-cancer-causing-baby.htm#.VHVlCznBHzJ
¡ (6)
(n.d.). Physical and Chemical Properties of Ethylene Oxide. Retrieved from: http://www.sbioinformatics.com/design_thesis/Ethylene_oxide/Ethylene-2520oxide_Properties&uses.pdf
¡ (7) RSC, Royal Society of Chemistry.(2014). Learning
Chemistry. Ethylene Oxide. Retrieved from: http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/rws00006114/ethylene-oxide
¡ (8) Shell Global.(n.d.)Ethylene Oxide. Retrieved from: http://www.shell.com/global/products-services/solutions-for-businesses/chemicals/products/ethylene-oxide-glycols/ethylene-oxide.html
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(9)Debt Free
Through Spending.(2013). Retrieved November 25th, 2014, from: http://www.debtfreespending.com/super-cheap-band-aids-and-first-aid-kit-at-cvs-starting-62/
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