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Ethylene glycol is a colorless, odorless, sweet liquid, commonly found in antifreeze. [1] It may be drunk accidentally or intentionally in a suicide attempt. [2] When broken down by the body it results in glycolic acid and oxalic acid which cause most of the toxicity.
Antifreeze products for automotive use containing propylene glycol in place of ethylene glycol are available. They are generally considered safer to use, as propylene glycol is not as palatable [ note 1 ] and is converted in the body to lactic acid , a normal product of metabolism and exercise.
The 1985 Austrian diethylene glycol wine scandal (German: Glykolwein-Skandal) was an incident in which several Austrian wineries illegally adulterated their wines using the toxic substance diethylene glycol (a minor ingredient in some brands of antifreeze) to make the wines taste sweeter and more full-bodied in the style of late harvest wines. [1]
The toxic dose is 0.14 mg/kg body weight and the lethal dose between 1.0 and 1.63 g/kg. [9] Some suggest that the LD 50 in adults is about 1 mL/kg, [3] while others suggest that that is the LD 30. [5] Because of its adverse effects, DEG is rarely allowed in foods and drugs. [10]
An antifreeze is an additive which lowers the freezing point of a water-based liquid. An antifreeze mixture is used to achieve freezing-point depression for cold environments. Common antifreezes also increase the boiling point of the liquid, allowing higher coolant temperature. [ 1 ]
An aerosol frostbite of the skin is an injury to the body caused by the pressurized gas within an aerosol spray cooling quickly, with the sudden drop in temperature sufficient to cause frostbite to the applied area. [1] Medical studies have noted an increase of this practice, known as "frosting", in pediatric and teenage patients. [2] [3]
Glycerol was historically used as an anti-freeze for automotive applications before being replaced by ethylene glycol, which has a lower freezing point. While the minimum freezing point of a glycerol-water mixture is higher than an ethylene glycol-water mixture, glycerol is not toxic and is being re-examined for use in automotive applications.
A preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes.