ETO is used in healthcare facilities to sterilize critical items (and sometimes semicritical items) that are moisture or heat sensitive and cannot be sterilized by steam sterilization.
Ethylene oxide is used mainly as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of ethylene glycol (antifreeze),
textiles, detergents, polyurethane foam, solvents, medicine, adhesives, and other products.
• Relatively small amounts of ethylene oxide are used as a fumigant, as a sterilant for food (spices) and cosmetics,
and in hospital sterilization of surgical equipment and plastic devices that cannot be sterilized by steam.
Keywords
ETO
food
spices
fumigant
medicine
solvents
textiles
moisture
sterilant
adhesives
cosmetics
antifreeze
detergents
manufacture
small amounts
other products
Ethylene oxide
critical items
ethylene glycol
plastic devices
polyurethane foam
surgical equipment
steam sterilization
chemical intermediate
healthcare facilities
hospital sterilization
