In Vitro Hepatic Metabolism Input Parameters Support Toxicokinetic Simulations for the Formation of Methoxy Propionic Acid From β-Isomer Propylene Glycol Methyl Ether.

Propylene glycol ethers (PGEs) are organic solvents commonly found as technical grade on the commercial market, as mixtures of secondary (α-isomer) and primary (β-isomer, generally < 5%) alcohols. After handling products containing PGEs, they readily enter the human body where they are metabolized. The minor β-isomer is oxidized by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) followed by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) to a potentially harmful metabolite.

Novel Strategy to Assess the Neurotoxicity of Organic Solvents Such as Glycol Ethers: Protocol for Combining In Vitro and In Silico Methods With Human-Controlled Exposure Experiments.

Background: Chemicals are not required to be tested systematically for their neurotoxic potency, although they may contribute to the development of several neurological diseases. The absence of systematic testing may be partially explained by the current Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Test Guidelines, which rely on animal experiments that are expensive, laborious, and ethically debatable. Therefore, it is important to understand the risks to exposed workers and the general population exposed to domestic products.