Denatured alcohol is often used in industry and everyday life. This liquid has an unpleasant odor and taste. There are also mass poisonings from the use of denatured alcohol as an alcoholic beverage.
Composition of denatured alcohol
What is denatured alcohol? Translated from Latin, its name means "devoid of natural properties." It is a bluish-purple liquid with an unpleasant odor. Denatured alcohol contains ethyl alcohol (is the base), kerosene, isopropanol and methanol. Also, its composition may additionally include gasoline, pyridine, some kind of dye and other substances. The composition depends on the purpose of the liquid and may vary. Each country sets its own legislation on the composition of denatured alcohol, depending on the application.
Most often, raw ethyl alcohol is used to make denatured alcohol, which has not yet been rectified (purified). Such alcohol contains fusel oils and methanol, which are very toxic. All other additives are also prohibited for internal use. As a result, ethyl alcohol becomesunsightly as a consumed drink: an unpleasant odor, taste and color appear. It is impossible to isolate pure alcohol from denatured alcohol by simple chemical reactions in everyday life (freezing, distillation, filtration).
Metal properties
After turning from ethyl alcohol into denatured alcohol with the help of various harmful impurities, the resulting liquid becomes poisonous and very dangerous for humans. Even inhalation of the vapors of this liquid has a toxic effect on the body of people and animals. Therefore, the question of what denatured alcohol is can be safely answered: it is poison.
Symptoms of denatured alcohol poisoning:
- nausea;
- vomit;
- indigestion;
- deterioration of vision.
In especially severe cases appear:
- bluish complexion;
- difficulty breathing;
- weak rapid pulse;
- complete loss of vision.
In order to visually distinguish denatured alcohol from pure alcohol, dyes are added. The existing instructions indicate methods for denaturing alcohol for the preparation of products in various industries: paint and varnish, perfumery and others.
The property of denatured alcohol to dissolve varnishes and paints is used in the manufacture of paints and varnishes. The useful properties of technical alcohol also include the ability to degrease contaminated surfaces, dissolve various resins, varnishes, paints.
Use of denatured alcohol in industry
Scopedenatured is quite extensive. It is used in production:
- paint products;
- detergents;
- chemical pharmaceuticals;
- fuel additives (to increase the octane number of internal combustion engines).
In some industries, this alcohol is used for laboratory research as burners.
It should be noted that for some technical needs, complete denaturation of ethyl alcohol is not allowed.
For example, when using denatured alcohol as a disinfectant, only formalin or thymol is added to ethyl alcohol. For the preparation of garden, zoological preparations, formalin, wood alcohol are added. Special additives have also been developed for the denaturation of chemical and pharmaceutical preparations (chloroform, iodoform, esters, tannin, and others).
For the production of perfumery products, bitrex is most often used as an additive to ethyl alcohol. This substance is not dangerous to he alth, but has a very bitter taste. Bitterness makes alcohol unattractive for ingestion and not dangerous even if it enters the body. Many well-known brands of perfumes and toilet waters contain denatured alcohol.
The use of denatured alcohol in everyday life and traditional medicine
Denatured alcohol is used in the fight against insects as a repellent because of its strong unpleasant odor (bugs, cockroaches). Appliesit is used in everyday life and in veterinary medicine for disinfection of objects, plants and animals.
In addition, it is used in everyday life for:
- removing various stains;
- lighting burners;
- space heating;
- window freezing prevention;
- cleaning and washing contaminated surfaces.
What is denatured alcohol? It can also be attributed to medicines. Alternative medicine sometimes uses denatured alcohol. Most often, it is included in the composition of ointments and compresses in the treatment of diseases associated with the joints. It is also used as a lotion for wound healing.
From the above, we can conclude what denatured alcohol is. Denatured alcohol is a liquid made from ethyl alcohol with the addition of various non-food additives. It can cause severe poisoning if it enters the human body, but it also cures some diseases. Denatured alcohol is flammable. It must be stored in a tightly closed container in compliance with fire regulations and used strictly for its intended purpose.
