Toxity of 1,4-butanediol

1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) is a colorless, viscous liquid derived from butane by placement of alcohol groups at each end of its molecular chain and is one of four stable isomers of butanediol. 1,4-BD has widespread industrial use. It is used in the production of spandex fibers, urethane elastomers, and copolyester ethers. Sizable quantities of 1,4-BD are also used to make gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), which has outlets in electronics, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals, as well as high-performance polymers. Miscellaneous uses include its use in solvents, coating resins, and as pharmaceutical intermediates. 

Worldwide production capacity for 1,4-BD is measured in the millions of metric tons/year. 1,4-BD is a precursor to gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), and is readily converted to GHB upon its ingestion producing clinical effects identical to GHB. 1,4-BD appears not to have behavioral effects of its own because its direct CNS administration is without effects. 1,4- BD's biotransformation to GHB involves enzymes also involved in alcohol's metabolism, and co-ingestion with ethanol can alter the time course and magnitude of 1,4-BD's toxicity.

Toxity

1,4-BD was selected for evaluation by the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) “because of high production volume, the potential for worker exposure, the lack of adequate toxicological characterization and the lack of evaluation for carcinogenic potential.” A summary report was issued in 1996. This report contains an extensive review of literature on the pharmacology, metabolism, disposition, toxicity, and carcinogenicity of 1,4-BD based upon the NTP's own studies and those of others up to the date of the report. Much of the following material referring to the NTP report is directly quoted from the NTP report itself. The acute toxicity studies are summarized in Table 1. The results were unremarkable except for the relatively low lethal potency of the substance in that in no study involving the oral or intraperitoneal administration of 1,4-BD was the LD50 lower than about 1 g/kg body weight in the rat, mouse or guinea pig.

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