![]() While denatured alcohol can also be used as an effective cleaning agent, it cannot be used on skin as an antiseptic. To read more about how this works, check out our blog on the uses of IPA. This is because it is efficient at killing any surface bacteria. ![]() While it is a mild skin irritant, doctors still use IPA to swab your skin before an injection. It is a first-aid kit must-have for disinfecting minor cuts and scrapes. ![]() As well as an efficient surface cleaner in a range of domestic, medical, and laboratory environments, isopropyl alcohol is also commonly used in hand sanitisers, surgical hand scrubs, and antiseptic solutions. Its antibacterial properties make isopropyl alcohol an excellent antiseptic and disinfectant. When Shouldn’t I Use Denatured Alcohol? Antiseptics Knowing this difference in toxicity is crucial when trying to identify whether uses of these 2 alcohols should be interchanged. In this way, while IPA is a toxic substance and should not be consumed, denatured alcohol is more dangerous when it comes to inhalation and exposure risks. This causes methanol poisoning which can be lethal. Whereas ethanol is metabolised by alcohol dehydrogenase in the body to create acetaldehyde, which is then quickly removed, the same enzyme metabolises methanol into formaldehyde, which is a highly toxic poison. Methanol is the most common chemical used to denature ethanol with, and it is extremely toxic to humans. While isopropyl alcohol is often referred to as a ‘surgical spirit’ because of its use in hospitals and other medical applications, denatured alcohol is referred to as a ‘methylated spirit.’ This sounds the alarm bells when thinking of its toxicity because it indicates that it includes methyl alcohol, also known as methanol.ĭenatured alcohol isn’t toxic by nature like IPA – it is made toxic by being treated with poisonous agents like benzene and pyridine. It has not had anything but water added to it, and is often used by doctors as a disinfectant and antiseptic. Unlike denatured alcohol, IPA is toxic in itself. Difference in ToxicityĪlthough isopropyl alcohol is classified as a toxic substance, meaning that it is dangerous to consume and behaves as a mild skin irritant, it is mostly safe to use. Isopropyl alcohol is concentrated isopropanol that has been blended with anywhere between 5% and 30% water. Unlike ethanol, IPA is not meant for human consumption – although it has not been treated with denaturants to make it this way. Isopropyl alcohol is the simplest example of a secondary alcohol and is a slightly bigger molecule than ethanol, with the formula C 3H 8O. Secondary alcohols are where the carbon atom of the hydroxyl group is attached to 2 alkyl groups. Denatured alcohol can be made of around 90% pure ethanol and 5% toxic denaturants. Primary alcohols are where the carbon atom of the hydroxyl group is only attached to one alkyl group.Įthanol is a primary alcohol that is used in alcoholic beverages. Difference in Structureĭenatured alcohol is classified as a primary alcohol because it is ethanol (CH 3CH 2OH) that has been treated with denaturants in order to become poisonous and repellent to humans. These differences are important to be aware of when thinking about their respective uses and whether one can be used instead of the other. Therefore, they have different structures, formulas, and reactions. Isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol belong to different alcohol groups. Alcohol comes in many different structures and forms, but today we will only be looking at 2: isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and denatured alcohol. In chemistry, alcohols are organic compounds where the hydroxyl group (-OH) is attached to a carbon atom. But what is the difference between these alcohols, and is it safe to use them interchangeably? ![]() Isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol both have a variety of applications in a range of industries. ![]()
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