Industrial Uses of Ethanol- National Spirits
                     Industrial Uses of Ethanol
By: 
National Spirits
https://national-spirits.com/
What is Ethanol?
- It is an organic chemical compound.
- Also known as alcohol, ethyl alcohol, spirits and 
grain alcohol.
- Its formula can be written as CH3−CH2−OH or 
C2H5OH.
- It is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid with a 
slight characteristic odor.
- It is a natural byproduct of plant fermentation Image Credit: 
and also can be produced through the hydration https://www.nutrientsreview.com/alcohol/definition-p
of ethylene. hysical-chemical-properties.html
- Ethanol intended for industrial use is usually 
called as denatured alcohol (rendered unfit to 
drink).
Industrial Uses of Ethanol
➢ Used as a universal chemical solvent
➢ Used in the medical industry
➢ Used as an antiseptic
➢ Used as an active ingredient in alcoholic 
drinks
➢ Used as an engine fuel and fuel additive
➢ Used in the cosmetics and beauty 
products
➢ Used as Food Additives for food coloring 
and food flavoring
➢ Used in the  laboratories as a cooling 
bath
Image Credit: https://www.assignmentpoint.com/science/chemistry/uses-of-ethanol.html
Medical Uses
1. As an Antiseptic- Ethanol is used in medical wipes and most 
commonly in antibacterial hand sanitizer gels a s an antiseptic 
for its bactericidal and anti-fungal effects.
2. As an Antidote- Ethanol may be administered as an antidote to 
ethylene glycol poisoning and methanol poisoning.
3. As a Medicinal solvent- Ethanol, often in high concentrations, 
is used to dissolve many water-insoluble medications and 
related compounds. Liquid preparations of pain medications, 
cough and cold medicines, and mouth washes, for example, 
may contain up to 25% ethanol. 
Ethanol is present mainly as an antimicrobial preservative in 
over 700 liquid preparations of medicine including 
acetaminophen, iron supplements, ranitidine, furosemide, 
mannitol, phenobarbital, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and 
over-the-counter cough medicine.
Recreational Purpose
 
Ethanol is a psychoactive substance used as a 
recreational drug.
As a central nervous system depressant, ethanol is one 
of the most commonly consumed psychoactive drugs.
Despite alcohol having psychoactive properties, it is 
readily available and legal for sale in most countries. 
However, there are laws regulating the sale, 
exportation/importation, taxation, manufacturing, 
consumption, and possession of alcoholic beverages. 
The most common regulation is prohibition for minors.
Used in Personal Care Products
Ethanol is a common ingredient in many cosmetics and 
beauty products. It acts as an astringent to help clean skin, as 
a preservative in lotions and to help ensure that lotion 
ingredients do not separate, and it helps hairspray ad here to 
hair.
It can be found in a wide range of cosmetic products such as 
body lotions, after shave or fragrances, the reason being that 
it:
● has an antibacterial effect.
● dissolves fat.
● serves as a preservative and guards against microbial 
contamination.
● has anti-inflammatory properties.
● has a deodorizing effect.
● acts as a solvent to obtain water-insoluble substances 
from plants. 
Used as Food Additives
As a food additive, ethanol can help evenly 
distribute food coloring, as well as enhance the 
flavor of food extracts. For example, vanilla extract, 
a common food flavoring, is made by curing and  
processing vanilla beans in a solution of ethanol 
and water. In the United States, the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) only allows vanilla to be 
called “extract” when it has an alcohol or ethanol 
base.
Used as an Engine Fuel and Fuel Additive
● The largest single use of ethanol is as an engine 
fuel and fuel additive.
● Ethanol has been used as rocket fuel and is 
currently in lightweight 
rocket-powered racing aircraft.  
● More than 97 percent of U.S. gasoline contains 
ethanol, typically in a mixture called E10, made up 
of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline, to 
oxygenate the fuel and reduce air pollution. 
Ethanol has a higher octane number than gasoline, 
providing premium blending properties, according 
to the U.S. Department of Energy. Minimum 
octane number requirements prevent engine 
knocking and maintain drivability.
About National Spirits
National Spirits is a worldwide supplier of bulk ethanol and alcohol
We work with distilleries, spirit brand owners, 
personal care products, hospitals, botanical 
extracts and flavoring companies. Being 
headquartered in Denver, CO – with warehous es 
all across the USA – we look forward to helping 
meet your needs. Our team has combined over 30 
years of experience in the industry and world 
wide partnerships.
Products we sell: 
● Premium Spirits
● Beverage Ethanol
● Denatured Alcohol
Thank you
  National Spirits
Contact Us:
● Phone – 720-220-5184
● Address – Denver, CO  
● Email – [email protected]
● Website – https://national-spirits.com/