Solution.
Ethylene oxide belongs to the class of dihydric alcohols, and ethylene oxide belongs to the class of epoxides. Ethylene oxide has a mutagenic effect, and ethylene glycol is less toxic. Polyethylene glycol is obtained by subjecting ethylene oxide to alkali catalysts and glycols. Therefore, ethylene oxide can be found in polyethylene glycol. If no number follows polyethylene glycol while reading it on the ingredient label, then the ingredient contains ethylene oxide solution, which gradually turns into polyethylene glycol according to the following reaction equation:
nCH2-O-CH2 + H2O = HO-(CH2-CH2-O)n-H
Answer:
Ethylene oxide belongs to the class of dihydric alcohols, and ethylene oxide belongs to the class of epoxides. Ethylene oxide has a mutagenic effect, and ethylene glycol is less toxic. Polyethylene glycol is obtained by subjecting ethylene oxide to alkali catalysts and glycols. Therefore, ethylene oxide can be found in polyethylene glycol. If no number follows polyethylene glycol while reading it on the ingredient label, then the ingredient contains ethylene oxide solution, which gradually turns into polyethylene glycol according to the following reaction equation:
nCH2-O-CH2 + H2O = HO-(CH2-CH2-O)n-H
Comments
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Thank you for answering my question. I used lotion containing 90 percent polyethylene glycol on me and my family . Does this mean it had 90 percent ethylene oxide in it? I’m very worried about cancer from this. We went through two bottles of the cream before I realized the ingredient wasn’t safe.
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