Denatured ethyl alcohol is ethanol, which contains special additives (denaturing substances). That is why the use of such a product in food is excluded. Denatured alcohol is not suitable for creating alcohol-containing and alcoholic products.
State regulation
The Federal Law on the Regulation of State Production and Turnover of Ethanol, Alcohol-Containing Products, considers denatured alcohol as non-food products if certain substances, mixtures are present in it (at the manufacturer’s discretion).
Denaturing Additive Options
What is allowed to be included in such a product? Denatured alcohol may contain gasoline or kerosene, but the concentration should not be less than 0.5 percent of the volume of alcohol. The composition may also include bitrex (denatonium benzoate) in a ratio of not less than 0.0015% of the volume of ethyl alcohol.
Among the permitted additives, which may include denatured alcohol, crotonic aldehyde in low concentrations is also noted in the legislation.
These denaturing additives, which are officially approved by state authorities, do not harm the human body. They are included in non-food products to prevent eating for food.
In order to impart qualities that exclude internal use, the production of denatured alcohol is associated with the introduction of substances that give the product a terrible smell and bitter taste.
Features of use in household chemicals
How does the chemical industry use ethyl alcohol? Denatured synthetic alcohol is not poison. It allows you to protect people from the desire to use it inside. Thanks to the denaturing additive, which gives it bitterness, it is impossible to drink liquid, vomiting immediately occurs.
Perfumery production
In the manufacture of various perfume compositions, perfumes, colognes, the use of denatured alcohol is legal and permitted. No need to panic, seeing on the label: "Ethyl alcohol denatured." The production of modern perfumes and lotions is based on the use of this raw material.
There is a world practice of using such a substance in creating a variety of perfumes. Many brands, known in different countries, absolutely legally acquire technical ethanol. In case of accidental ingestion of liquid in the mouth, you must immediately spit it out, then it will not bring any harm to health.
Features of use
The crude alcohol is subjected to the denaturation process . Denatured alcohol is in demand in folk medicine related to joint treatment. Basically, this component is included in the drugs used to eliminate rheumatism. In addition, the product is used in veterinary medicine for disinfection.
Experts are convinced that when you consume about 25 milliliters of methylated spirits, you can get rid of joint problems. It contains special coloring additives that give alcohol a purple hue.
Options for Meth
Among the main denatured substances that are currently used in European countries, pyrimidine bases and wood (methyl) alcohol can be noted .
Also used are acetone, thymol, kerosene, ketone oil, formalin, bitrex. The list is systematically updated, depending on the specifics of the country. Dye is often used as an indicator of denatured alcohol. The product is designed only for industrial use, technical purposes.
When ingested 5-10 ml, serious health problems occur. If you use denatured alcohol in a volume of 30 ml, a fatal outcome is possible.
Depending on the personality of the person, a different reaction to the use of denatured alcohol is possible. The main symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, nausea. They can appear both immediately after use, and after a few hours.
In the most severe cases, there is a sharp blueness, difficulty breathing, and the pulse quickens. Pupils in such situations do not respond to light. The cause of death is respiratory arrest.
The injured, who are conscious, complain of severe pain in the stomach, turbidity of the images. Perhaps a short-term improvement in well-being, which is accompanied by a sharp deterioration, the onset of death.
Conclusion
Strict requirements have been developed for denaturing additives. They should not adversely affect the quality of alcohol, be an obstacle to the targeted use of the product. When using standard methods - distillation, freezing, filtration - additives should not be separated from alcohol. In addition, input components must be affordable.
They started using denatured alcohol at the beginning of the twentieth century, fighting similarly with mortality due to alcoholism. In the fifties of the last century, diethyl phthalate was used as the main denatured substance. It did not pose a health hazard; in the case of regular consumption, it had a negative effect on a person’s nervous state.
Thanks to the regulated list, denatured alcohol does not pose a particular danger to human health. Among the problems that may be associated with it, only ethanol poisoning can be noted. Due to denaturation, drinking alcohol is separated from the technical product.