Human skin in vitro percutaneous absorption of gaseous ethylene oxide from fabric

Ethylene oxide, a colourless gas at ordinary room temperature and pressure, is widely used as a fumigant, coming in contact with clothing and human skin. It is genotoxic in somatic and germ cells. [1,2-14C]Ethylene oxide and fabric discs were sealed in a glass container; the fabric 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 absorption was rapid, occurring within the first 0–4 hr assay period. Absorbed chemical was confirmed to be unchanged ethylene oxide in the receptor fluid. This study also serves as a model for exposure of fabric/skin to any potentially hazardous gas.