What Injuries are Caused by Exposure to Harmful Chemicals Such as Solvents?

Ethylene-based glycol ethers and other solvents used in manufacturing are most strongly associated with reproductive and developmental health problems such as birth defects including hydrocephalus, spina bifida, as well as cleft lip and palate.

Hydrocephalus is a condition marked by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the skull, where the fluid is usually under increased pressure, but occasionally may be normal or nearly so.  It is typically characterized by enlargement of the head, prominence of the forehead, brain atrophy, mental deterioration and convulsions.

Spina bifida is a congenital defect in the spinal column,characterized by the absence of the vertebral arches through which the spinal membranes and spinal cord may protrude.

Ethylene-based glycol ethers and other solvents are also associated with miscarriages, less than optimum fertility, and damage to the testes in men. Other problems include skeletal deformities, brain disorders (anencephaly), central nervous system defects, cerebral palsy, shortening or missing limbs or organs, severe hemangiomas (an abnormal build up of blood vessels in the skin or internal organs), and gastrointestinal problems.

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