Uses of Ethanol

Ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is a chemical substance that is classified as an organic compound. It is a simple alcohol, with the chemical formula C2H6O as its chemical formula. In addition to being written as CH3CH2OH or C2H5OH (a hydroxyl group linked to an ethyl group), its formula is commonly abbreviated as EtOH (ethyl group linked to a hydroxyl group). Ethanol is a colourless, volatile, flammable liquid with a distinctive wine-like odour and unpleasant flavour. It is used in the production of alcohol.     Alcoholic beverages contain it as an active ingredient since it is a psychoactive drug, recreational drug, and recreational drug.

Ethanol is created naturally by yeasts during the fermentation of carbohydrates, or it can be produced using petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration. It contains antibacterial and disinfecting properties that are useful in the medical field. A chemical solvent, it is also employed in the production of organic molecules. Ethanol is a fuel that can be burned.

Ethanol as a drug

Alcohol is one of the most common organic chemicals found in industrial and consumer products, accounting for around a quarter of all organic chemicals utilised. As an intermediary in the synthesis of other compounds as well as a solvent, this aliphatic alcohol is most commonly used in the manufacturing industry. Ethanol is used in the production of pharmaceuticals, polymers, lacquers, polishes, plasticizers, and cosmetics, among other things. As a topical antiseptic and as an antidote for ethylene glycol or methanol overdose, ethanol is commonly used in medicine. Beverages, fragrances, aftershaves and colognes, medical liquids, mouthwashes, liniments, and various rubbing alcohols are examples of commercial items that include ethanol. Others include rubbing alcohol.

Ethanol as a cooling bath

In laboratory chemistry practice, a cooling bath or ice bath is a liquid mixture that is used to maintain low temperatures, which are typically between 13 degrees Celsius and 196 degrees Celsius. Using these low temperatures, it is possible to collect liquids after distillation, extract solvents from solutions using a rotary evaporator, or carry out a chemical reaction below the temperature of room air .

Using these low temperatures, it is possible to collect liquids after distillation, extract solvents from solutions using a rotary evaporator, or carry out a chemical reaction below the temperature of room air .

Cooling baths are often classified into two categories:
1. Cold fluids 

2. A mixture of three components;

• liquid nitrogen, water, and air.

• A liquid “carrier” (such as liquid water, ethylene glycol, acetone, etc.

• Any additive to lower the solid/liquid system’s melting point

Ethanol as antibacterial

Ethanol operates by causing the structure of bacteria’s proteins to degrade over time.

The antibacterial properties of ethanol on bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus have been demonstrated in research. ethanol Salmonella typhi, the bacteria that causes typhoid fever, is also susceptible to the antimicrobial agent ethanol.

The virus herpes simplex virus, influenza virus, and rhinovirus are all susceptible to the antiviral agent ethanol at concentrations of 60–80%.

Because the antibacterial capabilities of ethanol are enhanced when combined with water, hand sanitizers are more effective than pure ethanol at eliminating microorganisms on the skin.

Ethanol as household products

Paints, lacquers, and varnishes, as well as personal care and household cleaning products, can all benefit from the use of ethanol, which mixes easily with water and many organic compounds and forms an excellent solvent. When used as a preservative, ethanol is added to cleaning products because it is good at eliminating organisms that could represent a threat to the health of users. 

Conclusion

A significant industrial chemical, ethanol is used as a solvent, in the production of other organic compounds, and as an addition to automobile gasoline, among other applications (forming a mixture known as a gasohol). Alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits all include ethanol, which is a depressant and intoxicating chemical. Compared to pure gasoline, ethanol and ethanol-gasoline blends burn cleaner and have higher octane ratings; nonetheless, they produce more evaporative pollutants from fuel tanks and dispensing equipment. evaporative emissions lead to the production of toxic ground-level ozone and smog, which are both damaging to human health.