Ethylene glycol poisoning

Ethylene glycol poisoning is caused by the ingestion of ethylene glycol, the primary ingredient in automotive antifreeze. Ethylene glycol is a toxic, colorless, odorless, almost nonvolatile liquid with a sweet taste that is sometimes accidentally consumed by children and animals due to its sweetness. Following ingestion the symptoms of poisoning progress from signs similar to intoxication, vomiting, hyperventilation, metabolic acidosis, and cardiovascular dysfunction and finally acute kidney failure. The major cause of toxicity is not the ethylene glycol itself but its metabolites, mainly glycolic acid and oxalic acid.