Uses of Alcohol

Uses of Alcohol

                                           

Alcoholic Drinks

Ethanol is also used in making alcoholic drinks. As a matter of fact, the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages is actually ethanol. Alcohol is globally associated with relaxing and socializing. There are some studies that have even shown health benefits of alcohol but one should be aware of the dangers is can cause to heart health.

Cleaning

You may have come across methylated spirit bottles lying around. Methylated spirit is ethanol that has been mixed with small amounts of methanol. The methanol in the mixture makes the methylated spirit unsafe to drink and highly poisonous. However, if you want to clean some paint off your brushes, methylated spirit will do it just perfectly.

Meths (Industrial Methylated Spirits)

Methylated spirit is manufactured with ethanol. Methylated spirit comes in handy when you want to sterilize your skin or thermometer. Methylated spirit also contains some methanol thus making it unsuitable for human consumption as it is highly toxic.

Solvent

Ethanol can also be used as solvent as it isn’t harmful. Ethanol, being the safest type of alcohol, has often been used in dissolving the chemicals which cannot be dissolved in water. Some examples include perfumes, vegetable and cosmetic essences like vanilla extracts.

As a Fuel

Ethanol and methanol can also be used as fossil fuel alternatives because they burn clean and only produce water and Carbon dioxide (Co2). Ethanol can also be made from a number of renewable sources like sugar cane thus making it renewable fuel. This type of fuel is useful especially in countries that do not have an oil industry because it reduces the country’s dependence on petrol imports.

Preservatives

Those who are in the medicine or science fields know just how important alcohol is in preservation. Alcohol is used in the preservation of specimens.