Abstract
Ethylene (ET) is ubiquitous in the environment and is produced both naturally and due to anthropogenic sources. Interestingly, the majority of ambient ET contribution is from natural sources and anthropogenic sources contribute only a minor portion. While microbes and plants naturally produce a large amount of ET, mammals are reported to produce only a small amount of ET endogenously. Anthropogenic sources of ET include the combustion of gas, fuel, coal and biomass. ET is also widely used as an intermediate to make other chemicals and products and is also used for controlled ripening of fruits and vegetables. Although, a review of human and laboratory animal studies indicate ET to be relatively non-toxic, there is concern about the potential toxicity of ET because ET is metabolically converted to ethylene oxide (EtO). EtO has been classified to be carcinogenic to human by the inhalation route by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) cancer. ET, however, has been classified as a Group 3 chemical which indicates it is not classified as a human carcinogen by IARC. Several studies have reported ET to cause adverse effects to plant species (vegetation effects) at concentrations that are not adverse to humans. Theref...Continue Reading
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