Description
2-Ethoxyethanol acetate is used in automobile lacquers to retard evaporation and impart high gloss. It is used as a solvent for oils, resins, and nitrocellulose. It retards 'blushing' in lacquers and varnish removers. It is used in wood stains, leather and cosmetic ingredients. It is also used in the semiconductor industry.
Substance details
Substance name: 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate
CASR number: 111-15-9
Molecular formula: C6H12O3
Synonyms: Ethylene glycol monoethylether acetate; Ethylglycol acetate; Cellosolve acetate; Ethyl Cellosolve acetate; 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate; Glycol, monoethyl ether acetate; Ethylene glycol monethyl ether acetate; Ethoxyethyl acetate; Ethoxyethanol acetate; Ethylene glycol ethyl ether acetate; Ethyl acetyl glycolate
Physical properties
2-Ethoxyethanol acetate is a clear, colourless, and volatile liquid and has a mild sweet odour.
Melting Point: 61.7°C
Boiling Point: 156°C
Vapour Density: 4.7
Specific Gravity: 0.975
Flash Point: 57°C
Chemical properties
2-Ethoxyethanol acetate is an organic solvent.
Further information
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) holds data for all sources of 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate emissions in Australia.
Description
2-Ethoxyethanol acetate can effect you if breathed in and by passing through the skin. It is an irritant to the eyes, mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract. Prolonged contact will cause skin irritation. Exposure to 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate may cause nausea, vomiting and headache. Higher levels of exposure may cause central nervous system depression, blood changes and lung injury. Reproductive disorders may occur. It can cause injury to the bone marrow, blood cells, and testes. Kidney and liver damage have been reported. Exposure to animals has caused testicular damage, foetal death and abnormalities, fertility effects and other reproductive effects. Worksafe Australia has determined that 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate may cause birth defects and be teratogenic (harm a foetus).
Entering the body
2-Ethoxyethyl acetate will enter the body if we breathe in contaminated air, or drink contaminated water. It can also pass through the skin.
Exposure
Workers in the industries that use or produce 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate are at risk of exposure. Consumers can be exposed to 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate by exposure to air from production and processing facilities using 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate, or drinking water which has been contaminated by releases of 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate. Consumers may also be exposed to 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate when using consumer products containing 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate, especially if there is not good ventilation.
Workplace exposure standards
Safe Work Australia sets the workplace exposure standard for 2-ethoxyethyl acetate through the workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants:
- Maximum eight hour time weighted average (TWA): 5 parts per million (27 mg/m3)
These standards are only appropriate for use in workplaces and are not limited to any specific industry or operation. Make sure you understand how to interpret the standards before you use them.
Drinking water guidelines
There is no guideline for 2-ethoxyethyl acetate in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Description
2-Ethoxyethyl acetate will exist as a gas if released to the atmosphere. It dissolves when mixed with water. In the air it is reacted into other chemicals, in the water and soil bacteria break it down. It has slight acute (short-term) toxicity on aquatic life. It has slight chronic (long-term) toxicity to aquatic life. Chronic and acute effects on plants, birds or land animals have not been determined. (This information is based upon data from similar glycol ethers).
Entering the environment
Industrial emissions of 2-Ethoxyethyl acetate can produce elevated, but still low level concentrations in the atmosphere around the source. The majority of the releases are to the air, where it exists in the gas phase. In the air it is reacted with sunlight and other chemicals which break it down in one to a few days. Because of its short life expectancy in the atmosphere 2-Ethoxyethyl acetate is expected to be confined to the local area within which it is emitted. Much of the 2-Ethoxyethyl acetate will be deposited on to the land or water by rain or dew. In the water it will be degraded in one to a few weeks. (This information is based upon data from similar glycol ethers).
Where it ends up
2-Ethoxyethyl acetate enters the air during production, use and transporting it. In the air sunlight and other chemicals will break it down into other chemicals in one to a few days. The reaction products are hydroxyesters, hydroxyacids, hydroxycarbonyls, peroxyacyl nitrates and formaldehyde. It dissolves when mixed with water. In water it will be broken down into other chemicals in one to a few weeks. In the soil and water bacteria will break it down. (This information is based upon data from similar glycol ethers).
Environmental guidelines
No national guidelines.
Industry sources
The primary stationary sources of 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate are the industries that manufacture it or use it in production. Industries using 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate are the paint, stain, varnish, and adhesives manufacturers and the semiconductor industry.
Diffuse sources, and industry sources included in diffuse emissions data
Sources of diffuse emissions are: household use of paints, varnish, stains, and adhesives and smaller scale commercial use of the same products.
Natural sources
2-Ethoxyethanol acetate does not occur naturally in the environment.
Transport sources
There are no known sources of mobile emissions of 2-Ethoxyethanol acetate.
Consumer products
Various paint related products, paint thinners, synthetic resin and rubber adhesives, and wood office work systems.
Sources used in preparing this information
- CalEPA Air Resources Board Toxic Air Contaminant Summary Glycol Ethers (accessed, May, 1999)
- ChemFinder WebServer Project (1995), 2-Ethoxyethyl acetate (accessed, May, 1999)
- Environmental Defense Fund (1998), Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether Acetate: The Chemical Scorecard: (accessed, May, 1999)
- Environmental Health Center, a division of the National Safety Council, Environment Writer – Chemical Backgrounders Glycol Ethers Chemical Backgrounder (July, 1997) (accessed, May, 1999)
- National Environment Protection Council (1998a), National Environment Protection Measure for the National Pollutant Inventory (accessed, May, 1999)
- New Jersey Department of Health, Right to Know Program (1986), TRIFacts, 2-Ethoxyethanol (accessed, May, 1999)
- New Jersey Department of Health, Right to Know Program (1986), TRIFacts, 2-Methoxyethanol (accessed, May, 1999)
- NTP Chemical Repository, Radian Corporation, Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether Acetate (AUGUST 29, 1991) (accessed, May, 1999)
- Technical Advisory Panel (1999), Final Report to the National Environment Protection Council.
- University of Utah; Chemistry Department, MSDS Archive Site: 2-Ethoxyethanol (accessed, May, 1999)
- Worksafe Australia (1996), Hazardous Substance 2-Ethoxyethyl acetate (accessed, May, 1999)
- Safe Work Australia, Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants, accessed June 2021.
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011) - Updated October 2017, accessed May 2018