Organic Chemical
ethylene oxide
eth·yl·ene ox·ide [ eh-thuh-leen ok-side ]
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Definitions related to ethylene oxide:
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A colorless and flammable gas at room temperature and pressure. Ethylene oxide is a bactericidal, fungicidal, and sporicidal disinfectant. It is effective against most micro-organisms, including viruses. It is used as a fumigant for foodstuffs and textiles and as an agent for the gaseous sterilization of heat-labile pharmaceutical and surgical materials. (From Reynolds, Martindale The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p794)NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Colorless and flammable gas at room temperature and pressure, ethylene oxide is a bactericidal, fungicidal, and sporicidal disinfectant; used as a fumigant for foodstuffs and textiles and as an agent for the gaseous sterilization of heat-labile pharmaceutical and surgical materials.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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Colorless, odorless, flammable, toxic gaseous cyclic ether with a sweet ether-like smell. Ethylene oxide is used especially in the synthesis of ethylene glycol and as a sterilizing agent for medical supplies and foods, as a fumigant and as an insecticide. Exposure to this substance is highly irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract, induces nausea and vomiting and causes central nervous system depression. Ethylene oxide is mutagenic in humans and chronic exposure is associated with an increased risk of leukemia, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. (NCI05)NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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