Propylene glycol
Identification Number: CASRN | 57-55-6

  Substance Attributes

• Endocrine Disrupter

  Interferes with your hormones. Hormones are powerful messengers that can bind to DNA. You don't want to mess with them.

• Reproductive Effects

  Interferes with fertility

• Toxic to specific organs

  Can damage liver, kidney, lungs, heart or gut. Ironically liver, kidneys and gut are the main detoxifications systems.

• Soluble in Water

  This substance easily dissolves in water. As such it can be easily transported via waterways. Not really a nastiness attribute, but this feature helps rapidly spread other nastiness attributes this substance may have.

• Volatile - Evaporates easily

  This substance easily enters the air we breath. Not really a nastiness attribute, but this feature helps rapidly spread other nastiness attributes this substance may have.

These attributes are ONLY based on peer-reviewed evidence. See link to Data Sources below. Everyone benefits from knowing this stuff. Please Share.

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• CATEGORIES: Food Additives with E Numbers | Thickeners, vegetable gums | Chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids | Chemicals detected in flowback and produced water - collectively referred to as - hydraulic fracturing wastewater | Household Toxin | Industrial/Workplace Toxin | Food Toxin | Synthetic Toxin | EAFUS (Everything Added to Food in the United States) | PESTICIDE active ingredient | Inert Pesticide Ingredient USA - Non Food Use Only | Inert Pesticide Ingredient USA - FRAGRANCE ( Generally Not used on Food) | Pesticide or Plant Growth Regulator Approved in Australia | Pesticide approved in USA (California)
• SUBSTANCE LINEAGE: Organic Compounds | Organooxygen Compounds | Alcohols and Polyols | Polyols | 1,2-Diols
• SYNONYMS: (RS)-1,2-Propanediol | 1,2-(RS)-Propanediol | 1,2-Dihydroxypropane | 1,2-Propanediol | 1,2-Propylene glycol | 1,2-Propylenglykol | 2,3-Propanediol | 2-Hydroxypropanol | a-Propylene glycol | Aliphatic alcohol | alpha-Propylene glycol | Chilisa FE | DL-1,2-Propanediol | Dl-Propylene glycol | Dowfrost | Glycol | Ilexan P | Inhibited 1,2-propylene glycol | Isopropylene glycol | Methyl glycol | Methylethyl glycol | Methylethylene glycol | Monopropylene glycol | Prolugen | Propane-1,2-diol | Propanediol | Propylene glycol usp | Propylenglycol | Sentry Propylene Glycol | Sirlene | Solar Winter Ban | Solargard P | Trimethyl glycol | Ucar 35
• DESCRIPTION: E Number: E1520 | Food Additives with E Numbers used in Australia, NZ, UK and the EU. Over 400 in total. | Substance has been approved in: Australia and NZ | EU and UK | | Thickeners, vegetable gums | Synthetic carrier for extracts, flavours and spices. Functions as a stabiliser and humectant. | Miscellaneous foods. | Has been used in CSG, Hydraulic Fracturing Operations (Fracking) as - Gellant, liquid breaker, fracturing, viscosifier, fluid loss control, unknown | Propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol) is an organic compound (a diol alcohol), usually a tasteless, odorless, and colorless clear oily liquid that is hygroscopic and miscible with water, acetone, and chloroform. It is manufactured by the hydration of propylene oxide. Propylene glycol is used as a solvent for intravenous, oral, and topical pharmaceutical preparations It is generally considered safe. However in large doses it can be toxic, especially if given over a short period of time. Intravenous lorazepam contains the largest amount of propylene glycol of commonly used drugs. In adults with normal liver and kidney function, the terminal half-life of propylene glycol ranges from 1.4 to 3.3 hours. Propylene glycol is metabolized by the liver to form lactate, acetate, and pyruvate. The nonmetabolized drug is excreted in the urine mainly as the glucuronide conjugate, approximately 12 to 45 percent is excreted unchanged in urine. Renal clearance decreases as the dose administered increases (390 ml/minute/173 m2 at a dose of 5 g/day but only 144 ml/minute/173 m2 at a dose of 21 g/day). These data suggest that renal clearance declines at higher propylene glycol doses because of saturation of proximal tubular secretion of the drug. As an acceptable level of propylene glycol has not been defined, the clinical implication of a propylene glycol level is unclear. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum consumption of 25 mg/kg/day (1.8 g/day for a 75 kg male) of propylene glycol when used as a food additive, but this limit does not address its use as a drug solvent. No maximum dose is recommended in the literature for intravenous therapy with propylene glycol. Intoxication occurs at much higher doses than the WHO dose limit and is exclusive to pharmacologic exposure. Propylene glycol toxicity includes development of serum hyperosmolality, lactic acidosis, and kidney failure. It has been suggested that proximal tubular necrosis is the cause of acute kidney injury from propylene glycol. Along these lines, proximal tubular cell injury occurs in cultured human cells exposed to propylene glycol. Acute tubular necrosis was described with propylene glycol toxicity in a case of concomitant administration of intravenous lorazepam and trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole. Propylene glycol induced intoxication can also mimic sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Patients suspected of having sepsis with negative cultures should be evaluated for propylene glycol toxicity if they have been exposed to high dose lorazepam or other medications containing this solvent. (A7897)
• COMMENTS: Residues of this pesticide are NOT tested for on Australian Foods even though the Pesticide is approved in Australia. This is partly so because this pesticide is not usually used around food agriculture. | Pesticide approved in Australia
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• FORMULA: C3H8O2
• DATA SOURCES: DATA SOURCES: ARTICLE 4 | T3DB | PubChem | Article-Colborn-2010 | FracFocus | EPA in USA | US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | FSANZ and FSA | EAFUS | APVMA | DPR | EPA USA - Pesticide Inerts
• LAST UPDATE: 28/04/2018

  Health Associations

Mostly focused on Health Implications of Long Term Exposure to this substance

• SYMPTOMS:
• POSSIBLE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES:
• ACTION OF TOXIN:
• TOXIN SITES OF ACTION IN CELL: "Cytoplasm", "Extracellular"
• Additional Exposure Routes: Propylene glycol is used as a solvent for intravenous, oral, and topical pharmaceutical preparations It is generally considered safe. Intravenous lorazepam contains the largest amount of propylene glycol of commonly used drugs. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum consumption of 25 mg/kg/day (1.8 g/day for a 75 kg male) of propylene glycol when used as a food additive, but this limit does not address its use as a drug solvent.

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