Abstract
A survey was conducted to check the toxicological impact of ethylene glycol present in a thermal decomposition mixture of type C hydraulic fluid on laboratory animals submitted to an inhalation test. The target organs, i.e. kidneys, of exposed rats were evaluated histologically and oxalic acid—the ethylene glycol metabolite thought to cause renal failure—was quantified in urine samples. The results show that the low ethylene glycol concentrations present in the inhalation chamber produce only a temporarily increased oxalic acid excretion, at levels that are not significant. These findings are supported by the histological evaluation of the kidneys showing no calcium oxalate deposits or other abnormalities.
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