Polyethylene Glycol

Polyethylene Glycol is widely available in different strengths and qualities depending on the purpose for which it is intended. For example, Polyethylene Glycol 300 (PEG 300) is available in extremely high purity Pharmaceutical Grade and lower purity Technical Grade. Polyethylene Glycol 400 (PEG 400 is usually available in high purity Pharmaceutical Grade only, whilst Polyethylene Glycol 4000 (PEG 4000) is generally only available in Technical Grade. Your Polyethylene Glycol supplier will be pleased to advise you as to which is the most appropriate grade for your intended application.

Polyethylene Glycol has many uses from medicine to industrial manufacturing. PEG is also known as Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) or Polyoxyethylene (POE), although these names depend on its molecular weight.

Medically PEG forms the basis of many laxatives which may be purchased over-the-counter. It is also used in bowel irrigation processes before surgery or colonoscopy. Polyethylene Glycol is used as an excipient in pharmaceutical preparations from soft capsules and oral liquids to ointment bases, film coatings and lubricants. PEG is used to bind medications into tablet form and is also used in eye drops as a lubricant.

Cosmetically, Polyethylene Glycol is used in many skin creams where it is often combined with glycerine. PEG is also used in toothpaste. It is one of the main ingredients in Paintball paint as PEG makes the paint thick and flexible. PEG is also used for the preservation of objects that have been salvaged from underwater. When used in this latter context, Polyethylene Glycol replaces water in wooden objects and makes the wood stable by preventing shrinking and warping as the wood dries out. Salvage operations such as the excavation and salvage of the Tudor warship the Mary Rose in England, relied on the use of PEG to assist in the successful recovery of the vessel.

As when handling any chemical product care should be taken when working with or using Polyethylene Glycol. Always refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by your PEG supplier. Wear appropriate protective clothing including overalls, safety footwear, approved eye protection. Avoid breathing dust and store in a cool, well-ventilated area away from children and animals.