EPA 749-F-94-019a

                  CHEMICAL SUMMARY FOR 2-METHOXYETHANOL
                               prepared by
                OFFICE OF POLLUTION PREVENTION AND TOXICS
                  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                               August 1994


     This summary is based on information retrieved from a systematic 
search limited to secondary sources (see Appendix A).  These sources 
include online databases, unpublished EPA information, government 
publications, review documents, and standard reference materials.  No 
attempt has been made to verify information in these databases and 
secondary sources.

I. CHEMICAL IDENTITY AND PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

   The chemical identity and physical/chemical properties of 
   2-methoxyethanol are summarized in Table 1.


               TABLE 1.  CHEMICAL IDENTITY AND CHEMICAL/PHYSICAL 
                          PROPERTIES OF 2-METHOXYETHANOL
__________________________________________________________________________

Characteristic/
   Property             Data                      Reference 
__________________________________________________________________________

CAS No.                 109-86-4 
Common Synonyms         EGMME; ethylene glycol
                        monomethyl ether; Methyl
                        Cellosolve  Solvent; 
                        Dowanol 
                        EM Glycol Ether             Rowe and Wolf 1982
Molecular Formula       C3H8O2
Chemical Structure      CH3OCH2CH2OH 
Physical State          liquid @ 20C, colorless    U.S. Air Force 1989
Molecular Weight        76.09                       Budavari et al. 1989
Melting Point           -85.00C                    U.S. Air Force 1989
Boiling Point           124.43C @ 760 mm Hg        Budavari et al. 1989
Water Solubility        miscible in all 
                        proportions                 U.S. Air Force 1989 
Density                 0.9746 g/mL @ 20C          U.S. Air Force 1989 
Vapor Density (air=1)   2.6                         Rowe and Wolf 1982
KOC                     9                           CHEMFATE 1994
Log KOW                 -0.77                       CHEMFATE 1994 
Vapor Pressure          9.5 mm HG at 25C           CHEMFATE 1994 
Reactivity              in air, forms explosive

                        peroxides                    HSDB 1994  
Flash Point             115F                        Budavari et al. 1989 
Henry's Law Constant    8.1 x 10-8 atm m3/mole 
                           at 25C                   CHEMFATE 1994  
Fish Bioconcentration
   Factor               <1 (estimated)               CHEMFATE 1994 
Odor Threshold          60 ppm (in air)              U.S. Air Force 1989
Conversion Factors      1 ppm  3.11 mg/m3
                        1 mg/m3  0.32 ppm           U.S. Air Force 1989
___________________________________________________________________________

II. PRODUCTION, USE, AND TRENDS

   A. Production

      2-Methoxyethanol is produced by three companies in the United States: 
      Olin Corp., Oxy Petrochemicals, and Union Carbide.  In 1985, an 
      estimated 37.8 million kilograms (83.2 million pounds) of 2-methoxy-
      ethanol were produced in the United States.  During that same year 
      233,000 kilograms were imported, and 11.7 million kilograms were 
      exported.  Although production figures for 1992 are not reported, 
      only 13 million kilograms of 2-methoxyethanol were sold in the US, 
      suggesting that production has fallen (HSDB 1994; U.S. International 
      Trade Commission 1994).

   B. Use

      2-Methoxyethanol is used primarily as a jet fuel de-icer.  It is also
      used as a solvent for cellulose acetate; resins (particularly in the
      electronics industry); some alcohol soluble dyes; and in quick-drying
      varnishes, enamels, nail polishes, and wood stains.  Small amounts
are
      also used as perfume fixatives and in the manufacture of photographic
      film.  Table 2 shows the estimated 1983 US end-use pattern for 
      2-methoxyethanol; more recent information is not available to EPA.


         TABLE 2.  ESTIMATED 1983 US END-USE PATTERN OF 2-METHOXYETHANOL
__________________________________________________________________________

Use of 2-Methoxyethanol (Typical Standard        Percentage of U.S.
Industrial Classification (SIC) Code)            2-Methoxyethanol Use
(see end note 1)
__________________________________________________________________________

Jet fuel de-icer (production, 
    SIC 2899; use, SIC 45)                                 60%
Coatings solvent (production, SIC 2851; used
    in a variety of SIC codes)                             15%
Solvents and intermediates (production, SIC
    2869; use, SIC 2869)                                   25%
__________________________________________________________________________
Source:  Mannsville 1983.


    C. Trends

       Consumption of 2-methoxyethanol has been falling during the late 
       1980s and early 1990s.  Its use as a solvent has declined, and 
       its use as a jet fuel de-icer is also declining.
                     
III. ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

     A. Environmental Release

        No information was found in the secondary sources searched to 
        indicate that 2-methoxyethanol occurs naturally.  The chemical is 
        released to the environment in emissions from facilities 
        manufacturing and using it and from the deposition of products 
        containing the chemical in landfills (U.S. EPA 1986).  The chemical 
        was tentatively identified in advanced waste treatment water from 
        Pomona, CA, and in drinking water from New Orleans, LA (U.S. 
        EPA 1986).

        In 1992, environmental releases of the chemical, as reported to 
        the Toxic Chemical Release Inventory by certain types of U.S. 
        industries, totaled about 1.58 million pounds, including 1.42 
        million pounds to the atmosphere; 165,535 pounds to surface water; 
        and 4 pounds to land (TRI92 1994).

     B. Transport

        The vapor pressure of 9.5 mm Hg at 25C and the Henry's Law 
        Constant of 8.1 x 10-8 atm m3/mole at 25C (CHEMFATE 1994) suggest 
        that volatilization of 2-methoxyethanol from surface waters would
be
        minimal.  2-Methoxyethanol released to the atmosphere may be 
        partially removed by wet deposition (U.S. EPA 1986).

        2-Methoxyethanol is expected to be highly mobile in the soil/
        groundwater system (U.S. Air Force 1989).  The KOC value suggests
        that the potential for the sorption of 2-methoxyethanol to soil 
        would be low.  Estimates for an unsaturated topsoil model indicate 
        that 1.5% of the chemical would sorb onto soil particles, 98.5% 
        would partition to the mobile soil-water phase, and 0.0001% would 
        be in the gas phase; loss from the soil/groundwater system by 
        volatilization would be minor.  In saturated, deep soils 
        containing no soil air and little organic material, almost all 
        of the 2-methoxyethanol would be expected to be present in the 
        soil-water phase and available for transport in groundwater 
        (U.S. Air Force 1989).  

    C.  Transformation/Persistence

        1. Air - If released to air, 2-methoxyethanol reacts with hydroxyl
           radicals with a half-life of about 18 hours, indicating that
           significant removal would take place by this process (U.S. EPA
           1986).

        2. Soil - In soil/groundwater systems, biodegradation is probably
           minimal, except for areas of acclimated bacterial content, such 
           as in landfills (U.S. Air Force 1989).

        3. Water - No information is available for the biodegradation of 
           2-methoxyethanol under natural aquatic environmental conditions. 
           Experimental studies demonstrated that the chemical was 
           susceptible to biodegradation by activated sludge and acclimated 
           sewage seed, with 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5) test 
           values, ranging from 7% to 65% (U.S. Air Force 1989).

        4. Biota - The low bioconcentration factor (0.15) and Log KOW 
           (0.77) (CHEMFATE 1994) for 2-methoxyethanol suggest a low 
           potential for bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms.
           
   IV. HEALTH EFFECTS

       A. Pharmacokinetics

          1. Absorption - Signs of systemic toxicity that have appeared in
             animals following administration of 2-methoxyethanol orally, 
             by the skin, or by inhalation indicate that the chemical is 
             absorbed by these routes (U.S. EPA 1986).  Rats, given the 
             chemical orally, absorbed 90% of a radioactive dose 
             (U.S. EPA 1986).  Excretion data following oral exposure 
             (see section A.4) and the demonstration of the in vitro 
             absorption of 2-methoxyethanol across isolated human abdominal 
             epidermis (at a rate of 2.82 mg/cm3/hour) further suggest
             absorption by these routes (U.S. EPA 1986).

           2. Distribution - One hour after administration of radiolabeled 
              2-methoxyethanol to rats and mice by an unspecified route, 
              the radioactivity was equally distributed in the brain,
plasma, 
              lung and liver (U.S. EPA 1986).  Forty-eight hours after 
              oral administration of 662 mg/kg 14C-2-methoxyethanol, the 
              highest amount of radioactivity occurred in the blood, 
              followed by liver, kidney, spleen, testes, fat, and thymus.  
              Proposed target organs of 2-methoxyethanol toxicity, the 
              testes, thymus and spleen, retained considerably less 
              radioactivity than other organs, suggesting that the chemical 
              does not accumulate in these organs (U.S. EPA 1986).  Studies 
              in pregnant rats and mice show that radioactivity from radio-
              labeled 2-methoxyethanol or metabolites from the unlabeled
              compound appeared in the placenta and yolk sac and 
              accumulated to some extent in fetal tissues, particularly 
              those with high metabolic rates (U.S. EPA 1986).

           3. Metabolism - The results of several studies indicate that 
              2-methoxyethanol is oxidized by an alcohol dehydrogenase, 
              via the formation of an aldehyde, to methoxyacetic acid, 
              which is either excreted in the urine or further metabolized 
              to the corresponding glycine conjugate or to carbon dioxide 
              (U.S. EPA 1986).  Following i.p. administration of 250 mg/kg 
              14C-2-methoxyethanol to male rats, the half-life for the 
              disappearance of 2-methoxyethanol from plasma was 0.6 hours, 
              whereas the half-life for the clearance of radioactivity from 
              plasma was 19.7 hours.  One study demonstrated that, 
              following a single oral dose of 14C-2-methoxyethanol, 
              urinary radioactivity consisted of 73.1% methoxyacetic acid, 
              14.8% 2-methoxyethanol, and 8.1% of an unidentified 
              metabolite (U.S. EPA 1986).

           4. Excretion - Three studies in which male rats received oral 
              or intraperitoneal doses of 14C-2-methoxyethanol provided 
              similar results for excretion patterns, with 55-70% of the 
              radioactivity appearing in the urine after a 48-hour period 
              (U.S. EPA 1986).  In one study, animals given 76 mg/kg of the 
              chemical excreted 54.3, 2.7, and 12.2% of the dose in the 
              urine, feces and expired air, respectively (U.S. EPA 1986).  

    B. Acute Effects

       Acute oral exposure to high levels of 2-methoxyethanol adversely
       affects the hematological, the hepatic, and the renal systems in
       humans.  Exposure to liquid 2-methoxyethanol can damage the eye.

       1. Humans - A human fatality occurred following the ingestion of 
          ~240 mL (234 g; 3.34 g/kg) 2-methoxyethanol.  Autopsy revealed 
          marked fatty degeneration of the liver, severe degeneration of 
          the kidney tubules, moderate hemorrhagic gastritis, and slight 
          congestion of the lungs (U.S. EPA 1986).  Following the ingestion 
          of 100 mL (97 g; 1.4 g/kg) of 2-methoxyethanol, two individuals 
          exhibited acidosis.  One of the two developed oxaluria, and 
          both exhibited nervous system effects (U.S. EPA 1986), similar 
          to those described in section IV.G.  An individual experienced 
          eye irritation, resulting from exposure to 2-methoxyethanol; 
          complete recovery occurred within 48 hours after exposure 
          (Rowe and Wolf 1982).  The chemical is not highly irritating to 
          the skin (HSDB 1994).

       2. Animals - Oral LD50 values for animals include: 2.46-3.4 g/kg 
          for rats; 2.8 g/kg for mice; 0.89 g/kg for rabbits; and 0.95 
          g/kg for guinea pigs (U.S. EPA 1986).  The dermal LD50 for 
          skin absorption by rabbits is 1.29 g/kg, and the inhalation 
          LC50 for mice exposed for 7 hours is 1480 ppm (Rowe and Wolf
1982).  
          Doses that produce lethality in some rats also cause narcosis, 
          kidney damage, liver damage, and gastrointestinal irritation 
          (U.S. EPA 1986).  2-Methoxyethanol introduced into the eyes of 
          rabbits produced immediate pain; conjunctival irritation; and 
          slight transitory cloudiness of the cornea, which cleared within 
          24 hours (HSDB 1994).

    C. Subchronic/Chronic Effects

        Human case studies and laboratory studies in animals indicate that 
        the hematological and neurological systems are targets for the
        subchronic/chronic toxicity of high doses of 2-methoxyethanol.  The
        effects observed in humans were reversible in most cases.  See
        sections IV.G and IV.F for discussions of neurological and
        developmental/reproductive effects, respectively.

        1. Humans - Hematological effects, such as anemia and granulopenia,
           were observed in workers exposed for up to 7 months to 61-3960 
           ppm (190 to 12,324 mg/m3) 2-methoxyethanol used as a printing 
           solvent.  The workers recovered when the concentrations were 
           reduced, due to improved plant hygiene, to about 20 ppm (U.S. 
           EPA 1994).  The concentration of 190 mg/m3 is roughly 
           equivalent to the intake of 27 mg/kg over 8 hours (see end note
2)
           or 3780 mg/kg for 7 months.

           One worker experienced reversible asymptomatic hematological
           effects following skin and inhalation exposure to 35 ppm (109
           mg/m3) 2-methoxyethanol for 1 to 1.5 years (U.S. EPA 1994).  The
           worker was also exposed to lower concentrations of other 
           chemicals, including methyl ethyl ketone a behavioral toxicant 
           in humans at higher concentrations (U.S. EPA 1994).         
           
        2. Animals - Sprague Dawley rats (10/sex/dose) and New Zealand 
           white rabbits (5/sex/dose) were exposed to 0, 30, 100, or 
           300 ppm (93, 311, or 934 mg/m3) 2-methoxyethanol 6 h/day, 5 
           days/week for 13 weeks (U.S. EPA 1994).  At 300 ppm, the male 
           and female rats exhibited decreased body weights; altered 
           hematological and clinical chemistry parameters; atrophy of 
           lymphoid tissue; decreased liver weight; and altered clinical 
           chemistry parameters.  Female rats exposed to 100 ppm also had 
           decreased body weights.  The rabbits exposed to 300 ppm
exhibited 
           decreased body and thymus weights; hematological changes; and 
           lymphoid tissue atrophy.  Reproductive effects observed in this 
           study are described in section IV.F.2.

           A study of the hematopoietic effects of 2-methoxyethanol 
           revealed that male F344 rats treated orally with 100 or 500 
           mg/kg/day for 4 consecutive days had dose-related reductions 
           in relative kidney, spleen and thymus weights.  At the high dose 
           only, the animals had hemorrhagic bone marrow and thinning of 
           the sinus endothelial cells, inhibition of splenic extra-
           medullary hematopoiesis; normocytic anemia; and leukopenia 
           (U.S. EPA 1986).  With the exception of the leukopenia, all of 
           these parameters returned to normal values during a 22 day 
           recovery period. 

           B6C3F1 mice exhibited a 48% reduction in thymus weights 
           following oral administration (gavage) of 2-methoxyethanol or 
           its major metabolite, methoxyacetic acid, at doses of 500 or 
           1000 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks.  A 250 mg/kg dose did not produce 
           this effect and none of the doses produced alterations in immune 

           function or host resistance to Listeria monocytogenes 
           (U.S. EPA 1986).

           Wistar rats inhaled 0, 100, or 300 ppm (0, 311, or 934 mg/m3) 
           6 h/day for 10 consecutive days (U.S. EPA 1986).  In addition 
           to reproductive and testicular effects (see section IV.F.2), 
           the investigators observed reductions in sizes of the thymus 
           glands in 9/10 rats, and reductions in white blood cell count, 
           red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and 
           mean corpuscular hemoglobin in rats exposed to 300 ppm.  There 
           were no such effects at 100 ppm.

    D. Carcinogenicity
       
       1. Humans - No information was found in the secondary sources 
          searched to indicate that 2-methoxyethanol is  carcinogenic to 
          humans.

       2. Animals - No information was found in the secondary sources
          searched to indicate that 2-methoxyethanol is  carcinogenic to
          animals.

    E. Genotoxicity

       Available information indicates that 2-methoxyethanol is not
       genotoxic.  2-Methoxyethanol was negative for: mutagenicity in
       Salmonella typhimurium strains TA1535, TA1537, TA98, and TA100, 
       both with and without metabolic activation, and in the yeast,
       Schizosaccharomyces pombe; unscheduled DNA synthesis in human 
       embryo fibroblasts; chromosome aberrations in the bone marrow of 
       rats exposed to 25 ppm, 7 h/day for 1 or 5 days; and sex-linked 
       recessive lethal mutations in Drosophila melanogaster (U.S. Air 
       Force 1989).  The results of assays for the dominant lethal effects 
       of 2-methoxyethanol in rodents have been negative or inconclusive 
       (U.S. Air Force 1989).    
       
    F. Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity

        2-Methoxyethanol is a potent developmental and reproductive system
        toxicant.  Developmental effects, including malformations, have 
        been observed in mice, rats, and rabbits exposed to 
        2-methoxyethanol.  These effects occur at low to moderate doses, 
        indicating that the fetus is especially sensitive to the adverse 
        effects of the chemical.  Testicular effects have been observed in 
        animals exposed to 2-methoxyethanol by inhalation as well as by 
        the oral route.  This appears to result from injury to the 
        premeiotic and meiotic spermatocytes.  EPA has derived an 
        inhalation reference concentration (RfC) (see end note 3)
        of 0.2 mg/m3 for 2-methoxyethanol, based on adverse testicular 
        effects in animals.  

        1. Humans - One study examined the possibility of reproductive
           toxicity in workers exposed to 2-methoxyethanol concentrations 
           of either 0.42 ppm (8-h TWA) in the production area or to 5.4 
           to 8.5 ppm (16.8 to 26.5 mg/m3) (2-hour TWA) in the packing and
           distribution area.  Area atmospheric levels (this was not 
           explained further) ranged between 4 and 20 ppm (12 and 62 
           mg/m3).  The workers were also exposed to other chemicals.  
           There were no effects on hematological parameters, hormone 
           levels, or sperm effects in the exposed workers, compared with 
           unexposed controls (U.S. EPA 1994). 

        2. Animals - 2-Methoxyethanol is a potent male reproductive 
           toxicant in mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and dogs (NTP 
           1993).  Sprague-Dawley rats (10/sex/dose) and New Zealand white 
           rabbits (5/sex/dose) were exposed by inhalation to 0, 30, 100, 
           or 300 ppm (93, 311, or 934 mg/m3) 2-methoxyethanol 6 h/day, 
           5 days/week for 13 weeks (U.S. EPA 1994).  At 300 ppm, the male 
           rats exhibited decreased testicular weights, flaccid testes, 
           and moderate to severe degeneration of the germinal epithelium 
           in the seminiferous tubules ppm; these effects were not seen at 
           30 or 100 ppm.  The concentration of 100 ppm is roughly 
           equivalent to 33 mg/kg/day for a seventy kilogram person 
           The rabbits exposed to 300 ppm also exhibited flaccid testes.  
           Testicular weights were decreased in a dose-dependent manner; 
           the incidence of degenerative changes in the germinal 
           epithelium of the testes increased in a dose-dependent 
           manner.  Non-reproductive effects observed in this study are 
           described in section IV.C.2.  These two studies were the basis 
           for EPA's inhalation chronic RfC of 0.02 mg/m3 (U.S. EPA
           1994).  The LOAEL for the study was 100 ppm for testicular 
           effects and the NOAEL, 30 ppm (U.S. EPA 1994); this information 
           was used in the derivation of the RfC.

           Male rats given 2000 to 10,000 ppm (70 to 800 mg/kg) 2-methoxy-
           ethanol in the drinking water for 13 weeks exhibited a dose-
           related degeneration of the seminiferous tubules (NTP 1993).  
           Acute exposure to 2-methoxyethanol, 600 ppm for four hours and 
           300 ppm for ten days, also resulted in testicular atrophy in 
           rats (USEPA 1994).  In the rodent testes, the most sensitive 
           cells, following acute exposure to 2-methoxyethanol, appear to 
           be the premeiotic and meiotic spermatocytes (HSDB 1994).

           Sprague-Dawley rats exposed by inhalation to higher concentra-
           tions (50, 100, or 200 ppm, 7 hours/day on gestation days 7-15) 
           had increased resorptions compared with controls (30% increase
at 
           50 ppm, 50% at 100 ppm, and 100% at 200 ppm).  The offspring in 
           all groups had reduced weights, rib and tail malformations, and 
           heart abnormalities (no other details were available) 
           (U.S EPA 1994).  Another study demonstrated neurochemical 
           changes in the offspring of male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed 
           by inhalation to 25 ppm for 6 weeks prior to mating with 
           unexposed females and in the offspring of pregnant female rats 
           exposed during gestation days 7-13 or 14-20; exposures were for 
           7 h/day, 7 days/week. The offspring of the group exposed during 
           gestation days 7-13 also exhibited a significant difference in 
           avoidance conditioning, compared with controls.

           2-Methoxyethanol is also a potent developmental toxicant. 
           Developmental effects have been observed in several species 
           exposed to 2-methoxyethanol.  The rabbit appears to be somewhat 
           more sensitive to these effects than rats and mice.  In one 
           study, pregnant New Zealand rabbits and Fischer rats were 
           exposed by inhalation on gestation days 6-18 and 6-15, respec-
           tively, to 2-methoxyethanol concentrations of 0, 3, 10, or 50 
           ppm; Cf-1 mice were exposed on gestation days 6-15 to 0, 10, or 
           50 ppm.  All exposures were for 6 hours/day (U.S. EPA 1994).  
           Maternal weight loss occurred in all species at 50 ppm.  The 
           offspring of rats and mice exhibited no treatment-related 
           effects at 10 ppm, but had increased incidences of minor 
           skeletal variations at 50 ppm.  The offspring of the exposed 
           rabbits had an increased incidence of delayed ossification and 
           a dose-related decrease in body weight at 10 ppm and increased 
           incidences of malformations, minor skeletal variations and 
           resorptions, and decreased body weight at 50 ppm (experimental 
           details were not available) (U.S. EPA 1994).  

    G. Neurotoxicity

       Neurological effects, observed in humans exposed to moderate to high
       concentrations of 2-methoxyethanol, appear to be reversible. 
       Neurotoxic effects in animals may be related to demyelination.

       1. Humans - Human case studies indicate that the nervous and
          hematological systems are targets for the toxicity of 2-methoxy-
          ethanol (U.S. EPA 1994).  See section IV.C for hematological
          effects.  Neurological symptoms such as dizziness, fainting,
          headache, weakness, and behavioral changes were observed in 
          workers exposed for up to 7 months to 61-3960 ppm (190 to 
          12,324 mg/m3) of 2-methoxyethanol used as a printing solvent.  
          The workers recovered when the concentrations were reduced, due 
          to improved plant hygiene, to about 20 ppm (U.S. EPA 1994).  
          Similar symptoms were reported for workers exposed to a solvent 
          mixture containing <3% 2-methoxyethanol, 74% isopropanol, and 
          <3% dimethyl phthalate.  Atmospheric levels of 2-methoxyethanol 
          were at least 25-76 ppm (78-237 mg/m3).  

          One worker experienced reversible neurological symptoms following
          skin and inhalation exposure to 35 ppm (109 mg/m3) 
          2-methoxyethanol for 1 to 1.5 years (U.S. EPA 1994).  The worker 
          was also exposed to lower concentrations of other chemicals, 
          including methyl ethyl ketone, a behavioral toxicant in humans 
          at higher concentrations.
         
       2. Animals - Rats inhaling 125 ppm (389 mg/m3) 2-methoxyethanol 
          4 h/day for 7 days exhibited a decrease in pole climbing response
          that increased in severity with successive exposures (U.S. EPA
          1986).  Glial cells from Wistar rats exposed by inhalation to 50,
          100, or 400 ppm (156, 311, or 1245 mg/m3), 6 h/day for 1 or 
          2 weeks showed significant increases in a number of biochemical 
          parameters.  At 400 ppm, the animals exhibited partial hindlimb 
          paresis, decreased body weights, and enlarged spleens (U.S. EPA 
          1986).  The author concluded that the central nervous system 
          lesions may be associated with demyelinations.

V. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

   A. Toxicity to Aquatic Organisms

      2-methoxyethanol has low acute toxicity to aquatic organisms;
      reported toxicity values are greater than 100 mg/L.  LC50 values
      for fish include 17,400 mg/L (7 days) for Poecilia reticulata
      (guppy); 15,520 mg/L (96 hours) for Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow
      trout) fingerlings; >5,000 mg/L (24 hours) for Crassium auratus
      (goldfish); and >10,000 mg/L (96 hours) Menidia beryllina (tidewater 
      silverside) (Verschueren 1983; U.S. EPA 1986).  Twenty-four hour 
      LC50 values for Daphnia magna (water flea) and Artemia salina (brine 
      shrimp) are >10,000 mg/L; and the toxicity threshold values for the 
      inhibition of cell multiplication for various species of protozoa 
      are 1,715 mg/L for Entosiphon sulcatum, 2.2 mg/L for Chilomonas 
      paramecium; and >10,000 mg/L for Uronema parduczi (U.S. EPA 1986).

   B. Toxicity to Terrestrial Organisms

      No information was found in the available literature for terrestrial
      mammals.  The oral LD50 value in the rat (2.4-3.4 g/kg) and the 
      results of chronic studies in laboratory animals (section IV.C), 
      suggest that the chemical would not be acutely toxic to non-pregnant 
      terrestrial animals unless present in very high concentrations.  
      Exposure of pregnant laboratory animals to low to moderate doses of 
      the chemical resulted in developmental effects in the offspring; this 
      might also occur in nature.

   C. Abiotic Effects

      No information was found in the available literature for abiotic
      effects of 2-methoxyethanol.  According to the definition provided in
      the Federal Register (1992), 2-methoxyethanol is a volatile organic
      carbon (VOC) substance.  As a VOC, 2-methoxyethanol can contribute to
      the formation of photochemical smog in the presence of other VOCs.

VI. EPA/OTHER FEDERAL/OTHER GROUP ACTIVITY

    The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 list 2-methoxyethanol as a 
    hazardous air pollutant.  Occupational exposure to 2-methoxyethanol is 
    regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  The 
    permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 25 parts per million parts of air 
    (ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) (29 CFR 1910.1000).  
    OSHA has added a skin notation to its PEL for 2-methoxyethanol, 
    indicating that workplace dermal exposure should be controlled as well.

    Federal agencies and other groups that can provide additional 
    information on 2-methoxyethanol are listed in Tables 3 and 4.


               TABLE 3.  EPA OFFICES AND CONTACT NUMBERS 
                 FOR INFORMATION ON 2-METHOXYETHANOL
________________________________________________________________________
EPA OFFICE            LAW                                PHONE NUMBER
________________________________________________________________________
Pollution Prevention  Toxic Substances Control Act
 & Toxics               (Sec. 8E)                        (202) 554-1404
                      Emergency Planning and Community
                       Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
                        Regulations (Sec. 313)           (800) 424-9346
                        Toxics Release Inventory data    (202) 260-1531
Air                   Clean Air Act                      (919) 541-0888
___________________________________________________________________________ 


            TABLE 4.  OTHER FEDERAL OFFICES/OTHER GROUP CONTACT 
               NUMBERS FOR INFORMATION ON 2-METHOXYETHANOL  
___________________________________________________________________________

Other Agency/Department/Group                         Contact Number
________________________________________________________________________ 

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
   (Recommended Exposure Limit: (see end note 4) 
   5 ppm; [skin]) (see end note 5)                    (513) 742-2020 
Consumer Product Safety Commission                    (301) 504-0994 
National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health   (800) 356-4674
   (Recommended Exposure Limit (see end note 4):
   Lowest feasible concentration)
Occupational Safety & Health Administration            Check local phone
   (Permissible Exposure Limit (see end note 6):       book for phone
   25 ppm; [skin] see end note 5)                      number under
                                                       Department of Labor
__________________________________________________________________________


VI.  END NOTES

1. Standard Industrial Classification code is the statistical 
classification standard for all Federal economic statistics.  The code 
provides a convenient way to reference economic data on industries of 
interest to the researcher.  SIC codes presented here are not intended to 
be an exhaustive listing; rather, the codes listed should provide an 
indication of where a chemical may be most likely to be found in commerce.

2. Calculated by multiplying 190 mg/m3 by 0.143 (the standard occupational 
8-hour breathing rate, 10 m3, divided by the assumed adult body weight, 
70 kg, and assuming 100% absorption to obtain the dose in mg/kg 
(U.S. EPA 1988).

3. The RfC is an estimate (with uncertainty spanning perhaps an order of
magnitude) of the daily exposure level for the human population, including
sensitive subpopulations, that is likely to be without an appreciable 
risk of deleterious effects during the time period of concern.

4. The ACGIH/NIOSH exposure limits are time-weighted average (TWA)
concentrations for an 8-hour workday (ACGIH) and up to a 10-hour workday
(NIOSH) during a 40-hour workweek.

5. A [skin] notation indicates that air sampling is not sufficient to
accurately quantitate exposure.  Measures to prevent significant cutaneous
absorption may be required.

6. The OSHA exposure limits are time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations
that must not be exceeded during any 8-hour work shift of a 40-hour 
workweek. 


VII.  CITED REFERENCES

Budavari S, O'Neil MJ, Smith A, Heckelman PE (Eds.).  1989.  The Merck 
Index, 11th ed.  Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, p. 951.

CHEMFATE.  1994.  Syracuse Research Corporation's Environmental Fate 
Data Bases.  Syracuse Research Corporation, Syracuse, NY.  Retrieved 
8/15/94.

Federal Register.  1992.  Part 51 - Requirements for Preparation, 
Adoption, and Submittal of Implementation Plans.  Fed. Reg. 57:3945.

HSDB.  1994.  Hazardous Substances Data Bank.  MEDLARS Online 
Information Retrieval System, National Library of Medicine.

Mannsville.  1983.  Chemical Product Synopsis, 2-Methoxyethanol.  
Mannsville Chemical Products Corporation.  January 1983.

NTP.  1994.  National Toxicology Program.  NTP Technical Report on 
Toxicity Studies of Ethylene Glycol Ethers (2-Methoxyethanol, 
2-Ethoxyethanol, 2-Butoxyethanol) Administered in Drinking Water 
to F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 mice. 

NIH Publication 93-3349.  National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle 
Park, NC.

Rowe VK, Wolf MA.  1982.  Derivatives of glycols.  In: Clayton GD, Clayton 
FE. 1981-1982.  Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, 3rd ed., 
Vol. 2C.  New York:  John Wiley & Sons, pp. 3911-3919, 4047-4048.

TRI92.  1994.  1992 Toxic Release Inventory.  Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics.  U.S. EPA, Washington D.C.  EPA 745-R-94-001. 

U.S. EPA.  1994.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Integrated Risk
Information System (IRIS) Online.  Coversheet for 2-Methoxyethanol.  Office 
of Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Cincinnati, OH,  
Retrieved 8/94.

U.S. EPA.  1988.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Methodology for
Evaluating Potential Carcinogenicity in Support of Reportable Quantity
Adjustments Pursuant to CERCLA Section 102.  Cancer Assessment Group, 
Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Washington 
D.C., pp. 21, 22. OHEA-C-073.

U.S. EPA.  1986.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Health and
Environmental Effects Profile for 2-Methoxyethanol.  Office of Health and
Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Cincinnati, OH, 107 pp.

U.S. Air Force.  1989.  2-Methoxyethanol:  In: The Installation 
Restoration Toxicology Guide, Vol. 3.  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 
OH, pp. 42-1 through 42-29.

U.S. International Trade Commission.  1994.  Need full citation from EETD. 

Verschueren k.  1983  Handbook of Environmental Data on Organic Chemicals, 
2nd ed.  Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, pp 650-652.


APPENDIX A.  SOURCES SEARCHED FOR FACT SHEET PREPARATION

AQUIRE. 1994. Aquatic Information Retrieval online data base. Chemical
Information Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Fein-Marquart Assoc.

ATSDR.  1989-1994.  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 
Toxicological Profiles.  Chamblee, GA: ATSDR.

Budavari S, O'Neil MJ, Smith A, Heckelman PE (Eds.).  1989.  The Merck 
Index, 11th ed.  Rahway, N.J.:  Merck & Co., Inc.

Clayton GD, Clayton FE.  1981-1982.  Patty's Industrial Hygiene and
Toxicology, 3rd ed., Vol. 2C.  New York:  John Wiley & Sons.

GENETOX. 1994. U.S. EPA GENETOX Program, computerized database. 

HSDB.  1994.  Hazardous Substances Data Bank.  MEDLARS Online Information
Retrieval System, National Library of Medicine.

IARC. 1979-1994. International Agency for Research on Cancer.  IARC 
Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man. 
Lyon: IARC.

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).  1992.  
NIOSH Recommendations for Occupational Safety and Health.  Compendium of 
Policy Documents and Statements.  Cincinnati, OH:  NIOSH.

NTP.  1994.  National Toxicology Program.  Toxicology and Carcinogenesis
Studies.  Tech Rep Ser.

NTP.  1994.  National Toxicology Program.  Management Status Report.  
Produced from NTP Chemtrack system.  April 8, 1994.  National Toxicology 
Program, Research Triangle Park, NC.

OSHA.  1994.  Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  Table Z-2. 
Limits for Air Contaminants.

RTECS.  1994.  Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances.  MEDLARS
Online Information Retrieval System, National Library of Medicine.

U.S. Air Force.  1989.  The Installation Restoration Toxicology Guide, 
Vols. 1-5.  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH.

U.S. EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).  1991.  Table 302.4 List 
of Hazardous Substances and Reportable Quantities 40 CFR, part 
302.4:3-271.

U.S. EPA.  Most current.  Drinking Water Regulations and Health Advisories. 
Office of Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,
D.C.

U.S. EPA.  Most Current.  Health Effects Assessment Summary Tables. 
Cincinnati, OH:  Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, U.S.EPA.

U.S. EPA reviews such as Health and Environmental Effects Documents, 
Health and Enviornmental Effect Profiles, and Health and Environmental 
Assessments.

U.S. EPA.  1994.  Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Online. 
Cincinnati, OH:  Office of Health and Environmental Assessment.