Ethylene+Oxide

Ethylene oxide, also called oxirane is the organic compound with the formula C2H4O. It is a cyclic ether. This means that it is composed of two alkyl groups attached to an oxygen atom in a cyclic shape (circular). This colorless flammable gas with a faintly sweet odor is the simplest epoxide, a three-membered ring consisting of two carbon and one oxygen atom. Because of its special molecular structure, ethylene oxide easily participates in the addition reaction, opening its cycle, and thus easily polymerizes. Ethylene oxide is isomeric with acetaldehyde.
 * Ethylene Oxide** is a fumigant that is used to sterilize surgical instruments and can also be used in some cosmetic products. This is classified as a known human carcinogen and is one of 221 chemicals identified as being associated with mammary tumors in animals. Scientists from NIOSH have found that 7,576 women who have been exposed to ethylene oxide while working in commercial sterilization facilities have been found to have an increase risk for breast cancer. They found an increase of breast cancer among these women in direct proportion to how long they were exposed to ethylene oxide. In other studies there it has been found that women who have prolonged exposure do have and increased risk for breast cancer. It was found that breast cancer cells that are exposed to low doses of ethylene oxide resulted with a significant increase in damage to the cells' DNA. [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Ethylene-oxide.png/250px-Ethylene-oxide.png width="250" height="135" caption="Ethylene-oxide.png"]]