Glycollic acid

Health surveillance data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

health surveillance data

Type of information:

other: case report

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Personnal statement

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

2007

Report date:

2007

Materials and methods

Study type:

health record from industry

Test guideline

Qualifier:

no guideline required

GLP compliance:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Glycollic acid

EC Number:

201-180-5

EC Name:

Glycollic acid

Cas Number:

79-14-1

Molecular formula:

C2H4O3

IUPAC Name:

2-hydroxyacetic acid

Details on test material:

Glycolic acid

Method

Type of population:

occupational

Details on study design:

Health record checks

Results and discussion

Results:

Glycolic acid is manufactured in closed systems where reactors and downstream equipment are hard-piped to minimise losses to the environment and to minimise potential exposure to workers. Routine air monitoring in DuPont facilities indicate workplace concentrations to average less than 0.4 mg/m3 (8 hour time weighted average – TWA). Continuous exposure at this level for an entire 8-hour shift would result in a daily intake of less than 0.04 mg/kg bw/day. Glycolic acid is normally packaged and sold in drums or in bulk containers. Air monitoring of drumming and bulk loading operations show typical exposure levels to be less than 0.2 and less than 0.4 mg/m3 respectively. These exposure levels would correspond to a daily intake of <0.02 and <0.04 mg/kg bw/day for exposed workers, assuming continuous exposure at hese levels for an entire 8-hour daily shift.
Current air monitoring data are summarized below:

Loader/Packager:

Time Period Geometric Mean Standard Deviation
7/3/99-5/11/05 0.281 mg/m3 3.461

Field Operator (full shift)
Time period Geometric Mean Standard Deviation
4/16/98 0.127 mg/m3 1.399

Packager (glycolic acid 99% high purity) Geometric Mean Standard Deviation
11/3/99 0.062 mg/m3 2.283
Personal protective equipment for operators consists of wearing a face shield, chemical splash goggles and neoprene gloves when loading glycolic acid. In the glycolic acid production area typically there is one loader per 12 hour shift and one field operator per 12 hour shift. Glycolic Acid is also campaign manufactured – both 70% high purity and Glycolic Acid 99% high purity (in another area on the plant). The operation is straightforward. Glycolic Acid - 85% is unloaded into a reactor, water is added and the material is further purified to the 70% high purity material or is dried in a dryer and packaged out in drums for Glycolic Acid 99% High Purity. One operator is involved per 12 hour shift when Glycolic Acid high purity is being campaign manufactured.
The potential exposure is therefore minimised by physical protective equipment, further limted by the engineering controls and potential exposure is limited to a very small number of individuals involved in the production, loading and packaging processes.
A personnal statement from the Occupational Health Focus Leader at the production plant– Belle Plant, Middle America Cluster, Ohio – indicated that they were unaware of any exposure incidents relating to glycolic acid during a period of 28 years at Belle

Any other information on results incl. tables

No exposure incidents recorded, relating to glycolic acid, during last 28 years. Integrated Health Services Team Leader confirmed: "In the 20 years that I have been employed as a certified occupational health nurse for E.I. DuPont de Nemours I am unaware of any Belle Plant employees having any adverse effects from exposure to glycolic acid".

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

Personal correspondence from Occupational Health Focus Leader – Belle Plant, Middle America Cluster, Ohio.
No exposure incidents recorded, relating to glycolic acid, during last 28 years.
Integrated Health Services Team Leader confirmed: ”In the 20 years that I have been employed as a certified occupational health nurse for E.I. DuPont de Nemours I am unaware of any Belle Plant employees having any adverse effects from exposure to glycolic acid”.

Executive summary:

Personal correspondence from Occupational Health Focus Leader – Belle Plant, Middle America Cluster, Ohio. No exposure incidents recorded, relating to glycolic acid, during last 28 years. Integrated Health Services Team Leader confirmed: ”In the 20 years that I have been employed as a certified occupational health nurse for E.I. DuPont de Nemours I am unaware of any Belle Plant employees having any adverse effects from exposure to glycolic acid”.