A colorless, highly reactive, liquid, cyclic ether with a slightly sweet odor. Beta-propiolactone was used once mainly in the manufacture of acrylic acid and esters. It also was used as a sterilant for medical materials and procedures. However, it is no longer used for medical disinfection. Dermal exposure to beta-propiolactone causes the burning or blistering of the skin, and ingestion of this substance burns the mouth and stomach while exposure to its vapors causes severe irritation of the eyes, throat and respiratory tract. This substance is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. (NCI05)

Disinfectant used in vapor form to sterilize vaccines, grafts, etc. The vapor is very irritating and the liquid form is carcinogenic.