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Re:The Uselessness of Phenylephrine by rootusrootus on Wednesday March 30, 2022 @05:24PM (#30860952)
> Why can you go to the store and buy rubbing alcohol to drink? It’s primary ingredient is just ethanol.

AFAIK most/all rubbing alcohol (at least that which is sold in the US) is isopropanol, not ethanol. You can buy ethanol in not-for-consumption form, as denatured alcohol.

Re:The Uselessness of Phenylephrine by wombatpm on Wednesday March 30, 2022 @05:42PM (#30861163)
And it’s chemistry that forces the additional benzene in denatured alcohol. Water- ethanol forms an Azeotrope at 95% ethanol. Benzene is added to break the azeotrope and get to 99.99% ethanol. Chemistry not a conspiracy
Re:The Uselessness of Phenylephrine by ac29 on Wednesday March 30, 2022 @06:05PM (#30861401)
No one is selling 99.99% grade alcohol as an antiseptic in the US. Its usually 70%.

There are additives in ethanol sold as an antiseptic to discourage drinking (various bitterants, not benzene).

Re:The Uselessness of Phenylephrine by MertsA on Thursday March 31, 2022 @06:55AM (#30865801)
No one is selling 70% ethanol as an antiseptic, it's isopropyl alcohol. Those additives in ethanol not intended for consumption are 8 parts acetone and 1.5 parts methyl isobutyl ketone to 100 parts ethanol. There are some rare ethanol based rubbing alcohols sold but the vast majority is isopropyl because it's not just denatured with bitterants, they add toxic substances as well.

Here's the actual formula they have to use that's enshrined in the law. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/27/21.49

Re:The Uselessness of Phenylephrine by ac29 on Monday April 04, 2022 @05:39PM (#30912286)
Ethanol as an antiseptic is less common, but its definitely a thing: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Brand-Rubbing-Alcohol-Antisept...

Its general sold as "ethyl alcohol" not ethanol, but its the same thing.

Re:The Uselessness of Phenylephrine by hedora on Wednesday March 30, 2022 @10:37PM (#30863280)
California apparently banned denatured alcohol because of the VOC content.

I accidentally found a gray market source before discovering it is banned. Makes me wonder why they still bother denaturing it.