HUMAN SKIN IN-VITRO PERCUTANEOUS-ABSORPTION OF GASEOUS ETHYLENE-OXIDEFROM FABRIC

Ethylene oxide, a colourless gas at ordinary room temperature and pres sure, is widely used as a fumigant, coming in contact with clothing an d human skin. It is genotoxic in somatic and germ cells. [1,2-C-14]Eth ylene oxide and fabric discs were sealed in a glass container; the fab ric discs were then removed and placed on human skin mounted in glass diffusion cells. Percutaneous absorption was 1.3% of the dose when the fabric/skin surface was open to surrounding air, and increased to 46. 0% when the surface was occluded with latex glove material. The absorp tion was rapid, occurring within the first 0-4 hr assay period. Absorb ed chemical was confirmed to be unchanged ethylene oxide in the recept or fluid. This study also serves as a model for exposure of fabric/ski n to any potentially hazardous gas. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.