Is it safe to drink ethanol fuel?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Coin
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Ethanol Fuel
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the safety of consuming ethanol fuel, exploring the differences between fuel-grade ethanol and consumable alcohol, as well as the potential additives that may render fuel ethanol unsafe for drinking.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the safety of drinking ethanol fuel, noting that grain alcohol is essentially ethanol and wonders about the presence of additives in fuel-grade ethanol.
  • Another participant mentions having heard that kerosene is added to fuel ethanol to prevent consumption, although they cannot provide evidence for this claim.
  • A different participant asserts that while pure ethanol is similar to moonshine, the ethanol typically available for purchase is not pure and may contain harmful substances.
  • It is noted that Everclear, which is 95% alcohol, is a consumable option, but fuel-grade ethanol often contains toxic agents like methanol to avoid taxation as an alcoholic beverage.
  • One participant confirms that fuel and industrial ethanol is "denatured," implying that it is intentionally made unsafe for consumption, and suggests that those seeking untaxed alcohol might consider making their own, contingent on local laws.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the safety of drinking ethanol fuel, with some asserting it is unsafe due to additives, while others suggest that pure ethanol could be safe under certain conditions. No consensus is reached regarding the specifics of the additives or their effects.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference the potential for harmful additives in fuel-grade ethanol, but there is uncertainty regarding the specific substances used and their concentrations. The discussion does not resolve the implications of consuming denatured alcohol.

Coin
Messages
564
Reaction score
1
What would happen if you tried?

I mean, I assume by default and in reasonable quantities you can, since grain alcohol is basically just ethanol, right? But do they put any additives in the stuff used for fuel, say? (Let us of course assume this is not ethanol/gasoline mix.)

(This somewhat dumb question was prompted by a discussion elsewhere about a deleted scene from Jackie Chan's Legend of Drunken Master, in which Chan apparently suffers permanent brain damage from drinking industrial-strength alcohol.)
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
I have heard (but cannot back up) that producers add a certain amount of kerosene to the mix because otherwise people can and do drink the stuff.
 
If its pure ethanol, yeah sure its basically just moonshine. However, the stuff that you would regularly buy you can't because its not pure ethanol.
 
You can buy Everclear, which is 95% alcohol. However, if the alcohol is intended for use as fuel, they generally add some amount of a toxic agent (such as methanol), so that it isn't taxed as an alcoholic beverage.
 
yup, fuel and industrial use ethanol is "denatured". if you want the cheap untaxed stuff, you'll have to make your own. after checking your local laws, of course.
 

Similar threads

Civilization of millions of rings.
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K