Compendium of the most significant studies with reference to properties, intake, effects.
STRECKER HJ, HARARY I. Bacterial butylene glycol dehydrogenase and diacetyl reductase. J Biol Chem. 1954 Nov;211(1):263-70.
Abstract. The work reported here deals with the isolation and partial purification of two enzyme systems from A. aerogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, one catalyzing the reversible oxidation by DPNH of butylene glycol to acetoin and the other catalyzing an essentially irreversible reduction by DPNH of diacetyl to acetoin. These enzymes are referred to as butylene glycol dehydrogenase and diacetyl reductase respectively.
Park HS, Seo JA, Lee HY, Kim HW, Wall IB, Gong MS, Knowles JC. Synthesis of elastic biodegradable polyesters of ethylene glycol and butylene glycol from sebacic acid. Acta Biomater. 2012 Aug;8(8):2911-8. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2012.04.026.
Abstract. High molecular weight biodegradable polyesters were prepared from sebacic acid, ethylene glycol and butylene glycol through a simple non-solvent polycondensation with a low toxicity catalyst. The successful synthesis of the polyesters was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography, (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopies and differential scanning calorimetry.
Speckman RA, Collins EB. Microbial production of 2,3-butylene glycol from cheese whey. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 May;43(5):1216-8. doi: 10.1128/aem.43.5.1216-1218.1982.
Abstract. Six microorganisms that produced acetoin or diacetyl or both from glucose were tested for the production of 2,3-butylene glycol from lactose. Bacillus polymyxa and Streptococcus faecalis gave positive results and were tested in unmodified wheys. Cottage cheese whey was unsatisfactory, but B. polymyxa produced large amounts of the glycol in sweet whey, about 60 mmol of glycol per 100 mmol of lactose utilized. Aeration and an increased ratio of surface area to volume of whey enhanced the production of glycol. 2,3-Butylene was separated from the spent whey and from acetoin and diacetyl with a Sephadex G-10 column.
Moser, M., Wang, Y., Hidalgo, T. C., Liao, H., Yu, Y., Chen, J., ... & Yue, W. (2022). Propylene and butylene glycol: new alternatives to ethylene glycol in conjugated polymers for bioelectronic applications. Materials Horizons, 9(3), 973-980.
Abstract. Herein, we present the first use of propylene glycol (PG) and butylene glycol (BG) as solubilising chains in conjugated polymers and discuss their impact on the polymers’ electrochemical, structural, and swelling properties.
Navarkhele, V. V., & Bhanarkar, M. K. (2010). High-frequency dielectric response of the binary mixture formamide–butylene glycol. Physics and Chemistry of Liquids, 48(1), 89-98.
Abstract. Dielectric relaxation study of formamide (FMD) has been carried out with butylene glycol (BLG) at different temperatures. Time domain reflectometry in reflection mode has been used to measure the reflection coefficient in the frequency range of 10 MHz–20 GHz. The dielectric parameters, that is, static dielectric permittivity (∈ 0) and relaxation time (τ) have been obtained by Fourier, transform and least square fit methods. The experimental results show non-linear variation in dielectric permittivity and relaxation time with volume fraction of BLG, confirm the structural formation due to the intermolecular interaction between FMD and glycol.
Aizawa, A., Ito, A., Masui, Y., & Ito, M. (2014). Case of allergic contact dermatitis due to 1, 3‐butylene glycol. The Journal of Dermatology, 41(9), 815-816.
Abstract. 1,3-Butylene glycol (1,3-BG) is widely used in cosmetics, including low-irritant skin care products and topical medicaments, as an excellent and low-irritation humectant. We report a case of allergic contact dermatitis caused by 1,3-BG.
Fancher, O. E., Kennedy Jr, G. L., Plank, J. B., Lindberg, D. C., Hunt, W. H., & Calandra, J. C. (1973). Toxicology of a butylene glycol adipic acid polyester. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 26(1), 58-62.
Abstract. No adverse effects were encountered with a butylene glycol adipic acid polyester in chronic feeding studies in rats and dogs or in a 3-generation rat production study at dietary levels of 1000, 5000 and 10,000 ppm.
Butyleneglycol 
