Acetone

Abstract

Acetone is a clear, colorless liquid that is highly flammable and infinitely soluble in water. Years of clinical study, laboratory testing, and practical experience have shown that acetone can be used safely and without harm in many industrial and commercial applications. The long‐standing interest in the biochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological properties of acetone can be traced to three important characteristics of the chemical: Acetone is a normal by‐product of mammalian metabolism; levels within the body can, however, be altered by changes in nutrition or energy balance. Acetone is a highly volatile organic solvent that is miscible with water; thus large amounts of the vapor can be absorbed through the lungs and quickly distributed throughout the body. Acetone is manufactured and used in large amounts in a variety of commercial and industrial applications; thus the potential for exogenous human exposure is widespread.

Acetone [MAK Value Documentation, 1996]

“…The toxic effects of acetone have been reviewed recently by Morgott (1993) and in a CEC Criteria Document for acetone which was produced for the European Communities Scientific Expert Group (SEG) for exposure limits (DG V) (Grandjean 1992). Because these reviews are recent and extensive, the toxic effects of acetone are described below only briefly.…”

Flavouring Group Evaluation 7, Revision 2 (FGE.07Rev2) : Saturated and unsaturated aliphatic secondary alcohols, ketones and esters of secondary alcohols and saturated linear or branched-chain carboxylic acids from chemical group 5

“…However, the major contribution (>98 %) was provided by two supporting substances, namely acetone .050] (6.1 mg/capita/day) and isopropanol [FLno: 02.079] (84 mg/capita/day). These are present in the body as endogenous compounds, which are easily eliminated from the body either by excretion into the urine and exhaled air or after enzymatic metabolism (Morgott, 1993). Therefore, they would not be expected to give rise to perturbations outside the physiological range (JECFA, 1999a).…”

Flavouring Group Evaluation 10, Revision 1 (FGE10 Rev1) - Aliphatic primary and secondary saturated and unsaturated alcohols, aldehydes, acetals, carboxylic acids and esters containing an additional oxygenated functional group and lactones from chemical g

“…in healthy humans not exposed to external sources, acetone occurs in amounts of approximately 4-12 mg per person corresponding to approximately 0.7 to 2 mg/l blood [Dick el al., 1988;Ashley et al, 1994;Wang et al, 1994c]), is via the methylglyoxal route, where acetone is first oxidised to 1-hydroxypropan-2-one, which is then oxidised to 2-oxopropanal (methylglyoxal .001]). 2-Oxopropanal will after further metabolism give rise to glucose (Morgott, 1993;WHO, 1998a;NAS/COT, 2005).…”

“…1-Hydroxypropan-2-one is oxidised to 2-oxopropanal via acetol monooxygenase (p-450 IIE1), or at higher acetone concentrations to propan-1,2-diol. 2-Oxopropanal is then oxidised to pyruvate leading to glucose formation (Morgott, 1993;WHO, 1998a;NAS/COT, 2005).…”