ETHYLENE OXIDE
CH2(O)CH2
MW: 44.05
METHOD: 1614, Issue 2
OSHA : NIOSH: ACGIH:
CAS: 75-21-8
1614
RTECS: KX2450000
EVALUATION: FULL
1 ppm 0.1 ppm; C 5 ppm/10 min; carcinogen; Group I Pesticide 1 ppm; suspect carcinogen
Issue 1: 15 August 1987 Issue 2: 15 August 1994
PROPERTIES:
gas; d (liquid) 0.8694 g/mL @ 20 C; BP 10.7 C; MP 111 C; explosive limits 3 to 100% (v/v) in air
SYNONYMS: 1,2-epoxyethane; oxirane
SAMPLING SAMPLER:
MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE:
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY, ECD
ANALYTE:
2-bromoethylheptafluorobutyrate
FLOW RATE: 0.05 to 0.15 L/min
DESORPTION:
1 mL dimethylformamide; stand 5 min
VOL-MIN: 1 L @ 5 ppm -MAX: 24 L
INJECTION VOLUME:
SHIPMENT: SAMPLE STABILITY:
BLANKS:
SOLID SORBENT TUBE (HBr-coated petroleum charcoal, 100 mg/50 mg)
TEMPERATURE-INJECTION: -DETECTOR: -COLUMN:
routine
90% recovery after 17 days @ 25 C in the dark [3]
1 µL 200 C 300 C 100 C
CARRIER GAS:
5% CH4 in Ar, 25 mL/min
COLUMN:
3 m x 4 mm glass; 10% SP-1000 on 80/100 Chromosorb WHP
CALIBRATION:
standard solutions of 2-bromoethanol in dimethylformamide
RANGE:
2 to 42 µg ethylene oxide per sample
2 to 10 field blanks per set
ACCURACY RANGE STUDIED:
0.04 to 0.98 ppm (24-L samples) [1] 6.9% [1]
BIAS: OVERALL PRECISION ( ACCURACY:
rT):
ESTIMATED LOD: 1 µg EtO per sample [2] PRECISION ( r):
0.020 @ 18 to 71 µg EtO per sample [1]
0.062 [1] ±19%
APPLICABILITY: The working range is 0.05 to 4.6 ppm (0.08 to 8.3 mg/m3) for a 24-L air sample. The method is applicable to short-term (10-min) samples.
INTERFERENCES: 2-Bromoethanol, if present in the sample interferes. No other significant interferences have been found [1].
OTHER METHODS: This is a modification of OSHA Method 50 [1] and replaces NIOSH method 1607, which has smaller sample capacity, and S286 [3], which is useful for higher levels. Method 3702 (Ethylene Oxide by Portable GC) describes field-readable gas chromatography for the determination of ethylene oxide.
NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM), Fourth Edition, 8/15/94
