Ethanol Products
It is interesting to note that ethanol plays a vital role in our daily lives. Several products which are of vital importance in our day by day living contain ethanol. Ethanol is produced by the fermentation of sugar and is one of the first organic reactions used by people. The alcoholic effects when using ethanol have been known since ancient times. Currently ethanol intended for industrial use is also produced as a result of the production of petroleum refining. In our modern living we can make use of these by-products of ethanol in four different ways.
Potable Alcohol
The first type of product is ENA (extra neutral alcohol) or potable alcohol. This is used for the production of a wide variety of spirits for beverage use that are available in the market. Sugar cane, whet, fruit and corn are distilled to produce this form of alcohol. There are two categories of potable alcohol. The most common and well-known form is sold in the form of wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages. Although most people drink these products, they can also be used for cooking. Wine and beer can be very effective in dissolving flavour compounds which cannot be dissolved that easily in water. Wine, for instance, will help dissolving flavour compounds which will be dispersed throughout the dish. Even the vinegar used by homemakers and commercial enterprises is produced from distilled ethanol. The second category of potable alcohol is found in drugs, medicines and pharmaceutical products. The cosmetic industry also uses potable alcohol in both cosmetics and perfumes because it is essential in carrying fragrances and flavours.
Industrial Grade Alcohol - Rectified Spirit
In addition to potable alcohol, an industrial grade alcohol is produced which is called Rectified spirit. These ethanol products are made from petroleum by-products. These products are useful in industry for its cleaning and solvent properties. Carpets and upholstery can be cleaned with Rectified Spirit and it is also known for as a solvent for thinning paint. It can also be used for spirit burners and camping stoves. Industrial alcohol is also the feedstock or raw material used in the industrial manufacturing of other products such as ethyl halides and esters.
Ethanol for Pharmaceutical Purposes
Thirdly, there are products that contain ethanol which are used for pharmaceutical purposes. These include products that have medicinal qualities. The field of expertise that is the most important to us is the field of study that determine the chemical reactions in living organisms and how these organisms are affected by something like ethanol. The human body has the ability to metabolise alcohol and this is done at a very slow but steady rate in the liver. If a person should consume more alcohol than the liver can manage to metabolise, the alcohol will mount up in the body which can cause serious damage to the human. It could cause blindness and even result in the death of a human being. The drug or medicine industry is an huge industry and the use of ethanol products is at the heart of it. When an injection is given to a patient the skin is cleaned with a medical wipe. Even these medical wipes contain ethanol. In addition to this many hospitals and consulting rooms use large amounts of gels to disinfect their hands before working with a patient.
Bio-fuels
Ethanol products that are receiving ever-increasing attention are Bio-fuels. Bio-fuel has gained increased public and scientific attention, determined by issues such as the peak in oil prices and the concern over greenhouse gas emissions. The two leading countries in the industrial production of ethanol fuel is Brazil and the United States of America. Together both countries were responsible for 86 percent of the world’s ethanol fuel production in 2009. Ethanol is very useful and has many advantages as an additive in fuel. The Brazilian government has made it compulsory to blend ethanol with fuel. In this country the legal blend of ethanol and gasoline is 25 % ethanol and 75 % fuel. In the USA it is 10 % ethanol and 90 % fuel. The production of bio-fuel raises many issues on many levels. The growth in the Bio-fuel industry causes many farmers to sell their crops to the ethanol industry rather than making it available for the food industry. This leads to a rise in food prices. The most positive aspect about using ethanol products as bio-fuels, is that bio-fuel is a renewable commodity. This makes it effective in keeping the environment clean and eventually helps to fight the climate change. This means that Bio-fuel is not only beneficial to the environment, but also to the farmer who can sell more of his crops for the production of ethanol.