Ethylene Oxide (C₂H₄O)

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is used in the large-scale production of chemicals, as a fumigant in certain agricultural products, as a sterilizing agent for medical devices, and can be found in the atmosphere as a pollutant emitted from natural gas, cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust. Despite its relatively common usage, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the American Conference for Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), the German MAK commission and others, have classified it as a toxic substance with proven mutagenic properties, solidifying its position as a carcinogen. While the mutagenic properties of Ethylene Oxide have been known since the 1940s, the regulatory landscape around emissions and exposure limits has evolved with the publication of the most recent National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) in the US.

Using innovative next-generation laser technology, Picarro has developed a family of CRDS-based analyzers capable of measuring ppt levels of EtO in real time (< 2 seconds) and without the need for chromatographic separation or pre-concentration.