Ethyl alcohol, disinfectant

Medical Usage. Isopropyl alcohol is also used as an antiseptic and disinfectant for home, hospital, and industry (see Disinfectants and antiseptics). It is about twice as effective as ethyl alcohol in these appHcations (153,154). Rubbing alcohol, a popular 70 vol % isopropyl alcohol-in-water mixture, exemplifies the medicinal use of isopropyl alcohol. Other examples include 30 vol % isopropyl alcohol solutions for medicinal liniments, tinctures of green soap, scalp tonics, and tincture of mercurophen. It is contained in pharmaceuticals, eg, local anesthetics, tincture of iodine, and bathing solutions for surgical sutures and dressings. Over 200 uses of isopropyl alcohol have been tabulated (2). 

Disinfection destroys pathogenic organisms. This procedure can render an object safe for use. Disinfectants include solutions of hypochlorites, tinctures of iodine or iodophores, phenoHc derivatives, quaternary ammonium salts, ethyl alcohol, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and hydrogen peroxide (see Disinfectants AND antiseptics). Effective use of disinfected materials must be judged by properly trained personnel. 

Disinfect the sampling point from inside and its surrounding with 70% ethyl alcohol or 3% H2O2 for 2 minutes. 

The tested area is then to be cleaned and disinfected with 70% ethyl alcohol. 

Ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol in an aqueous solution (between 70 and 92%) is an inexpensive and easily accessible disinfectant, which is rapidly acting and bactericidal as well as germicidal to most viruses, fungi, and other pathogens.13 However, its residual activity is limited and it should be used in conjunction with a longer-acting disinfectant (i.e., chlorhexidine) for optimal antimicrobial... 

Alcohols are important commercially and include uses as solvents, drugs, and disinfectants. The most widely used alcohols are methanol or methyl alcohol, CH3OH, ethanol or ethyl alcohol, CH3CH2OH, and 2-propanol or isopropyl alcohol, (CH3)2CHOH. Methyl alcohol is found in automotive products such as antifreeze and dry gas. Ethyl alcohol is used as a solvent for drugs and chemicals, but is more popularly known for its effects as an alcoholic beverage. Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is an antiseptic. 

A preparation containing plant extract is described that reduces inflammation, disinfects, and relaxes muscle tension. It contains a mixture of dried blood-wort, mint, walnut leaves, Jerusalem artichoke leaves, rose petals, and plantain in specified amounts. The active plant compounds are extracted with ethyl alcohol. They are concentrated and formulated into medicinal or cosmetic preparations. 

Ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol have similar disinfectant properties. They are active against enveloped viruses but their action against nonenveloped viruses is variable. They are used at concentrations of about 70% in water it is necessary to have a wetting agent to assist penetration of the alcohols. Such alcohol solutions may be used to disinfect surfaces and to decontaminate centrifuge buckets. 

Phenoxyethanol, C5H5OCH2CH2OH, also known as ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, 2-hydroxyethyl phenyl ether, 1-hydroxy-2-phenoxyethane, (i-phenoxy-ethyl alcohol and 2-phenoxyethanol, has a molecular weight of 138.16. It is a simple disinfectant in the adjuvant solution, an antimicrobial agent that seems not to have a real adjuvant effect on the peel. 

Ethyl alcohol is used in antifreeze products, and also as a fuel a solution of 70-85% of ethyl alcohol is commonly used as a disinfectant. It kills organisms by denaturing their proteins and dissolving their liquids and it is effective against most bacteria, fungi and many viruses though ineffective against bacterial spores. 

Chemical compatibility/resistance is of particular importance to medical applications. Disinfectants represent one class of chemicals that includes Betadine , glutaraldehyde-based disinfectants, sodium hypochlorite solution (5 %), ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide (3 %), and ammonium chloride-based disinfectant. Additionally, resistance to methyl ethyl ketone, saline solution, lipid-based compounds, and fatty acids is important. 

Many healthcare facilities use 70% ethyl alcohol as a topical application in local skin disinfection. Consider ethyl alcohol as flammable in all dilutions where vapor may come in contact with an... 

Isopropyl alcohol (CAS 67-63-0), 1% ethyl alcohol (skin disinfectant) (Jensen 1981)... 

Piperazine diacrylamide (CAS 6342-17-2), 0.1% petrolatum (acrylamide gels reagent) (Wang et al. 1997) Propylene oxide (CAS 75-56-9), 0.1% ethyl alcohol (skin disinfectant) (Jensen 1981)... 

Iodine is also a widely used disinfectant. The characteristics of chlorine and iodine are similar. The iodophors, mentioned above, are one of the most popular groups of disinfectants used in the laboratory. The typical range of dilution of an iodophor disinfectant is from 1.6 milliliters (ml) in 1 liter of water (giving 25 ppm of available iodine), to 4.7 ml in 1 liter (75 ppm iodine). Small amounts of iodine can be rapidly taken up by any extraneous protein present, so that dirty surfaces are difficult to treat, but clean surfaces or clear water can be effectively treated by 75 ppm available iodine. For washing the hands, it is recommended that an iodophor disinfectant be diluted 1 10, or 10 percent, in 50 percent ethyl alcohol, which will give 1,600 ppm of available iodine. At this concentration, relatively rapid inactivation of most microorganisms will occur. 

Ethanol (Fig. 29.1 (ethyl alcohol, C2H5OH, molecular mass 46.07 gmol ) is the second member of the aliphatic (alkane) series of alcohols. In pure form, ethanol is a clear, colourless liquid at room temperature and has a distinctive smell that is perhaps associated with disinfection, one of many non-food uses of this substance. 

Alcohols and aldehydes have been used as antiseptics and disinfectants fur many ycars. Two of the mo.si commonly used antiseptics and disinfectants are ethyl and isopropyl alcohol. 

Ethyl and isopropyl alcohols in concentrations of 50 to 70 percent by weight are often used. Alcohols are somewhat slow in their germicidal action, acting by denaturing proteins. However, they are effective disinfectants against lipophilic viruses. Adding 0.1 N HCl to the alcohol can increase virucidal activity. 

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