Is it physically possible to Drink Ethanol and Live?!


Question:

Is it physically possible to Drink Ethanol and Live?

Technically it's just an insanley strong alchohol. It is 100% so about 3 times stronger then vodka. But is it possible to actually drink it and not die?


Answers:
No, the government requires that the toxic chemical hydrocarbon benzene be added to ethanol to prohibit consumption.
Hydrocarbon benzene also allows for a lower than regularly possible water content to enable use in engines. Alcohol naturally stabilizes at around a 4% to 5% water content.
The benzene allows for the solution to be naturally anhydrous (less than 1% water) which lets it be run in engines without as much modification.

Also by the time it hits the pump there are more unhealthy compounds in it, especially since E100 is extremely rare in the US, so there will probably be some measure of gasoline in the mix.

I've drank Everclear (95% alcohol - 190 proof) straight from the bottle before and can tell you that you can drink it straight with no ill effects, and actually it is absent of the taste of regular lower percentage liquors. Whether you'd actually want to is another matter. It reminded me of drinking flaming sawdust, immediate burning and drying of mouth and esophagus.

The excerpt from the report above is just saying that chronic alcohol abuse is not good for your health (the first paragraph discusses development of eye and brain damage from long term abuse), probably/hopefully something you already know.
However it is somewhat correct, alcohol is poison.

Often blindness from habitual moonshine drinking is not so much due to the ethanol alcohol but the other compounds (mainly lead and methonal) in it, due to the less than sterile methods of producing it.

No.

The alcohol you do drink is ethanol, but it is an aqueous solution of water and ethanol. The highest concentration of Ethanol you could drink and possibly live is about 85%. After that you're dead for sure.

yes. ethanol, is also known as pure grain alcohol or PGA.It is not 100% alcohol simply because alcphol absorbs moisture from the air. The highest concentration possible is around 97%.
Moonshine whiskey, can be as high as 85%. Some alcoholics, who have built up a tolerance to alcohol have been known to drink small amounts of PGA and survive. To a normal person, it would be toxic.

no but i use it at my work and my boss put a drop on his tongue he said his tongue started to tingle and it tasted horrible

Reagent grade Ethanol U.S.P (200 proof) is available, and it is a very good solvent -- of the lining of your mouth, esophogus, stomach, etc. -- not too good to drink.

If you had some of this, or "Everclear", it is best to mix it down (a LOT) with water, or mixers before you drank it.

.

Ethanol (without any additives) is simply grain alcohol. It is similar to the moonshine that they used to make down in the souther states.

Methanol is wood alcohol. If you drink that stuff, you will be poisoned, go blind and probably eventually die.

That does not mean that you should go to the local gas station, pump out a gallon of ethanol and then serve it at your next party. Ethanol at the pumps actually has some petroleum products in it, as well as cleaners and additives to improve fuel economy. Drinking this will probably have you end up at the emergency ward of the local hospital getting your stomach pumped.

Why would you want to? If you just want to get as drunk as a skunk, try Bacardi 151 rum. It is over 75% alcohol and will knock you on your keester. Not only that but it is MADE for human consumption.

if you drink ethanol your guts will dissolve and your brain will melt
its pure poison
4 cases of chronic alcoholic patients who developed oscillopsia (illusory movement of the environment) with downbeat nystagmus, associated with ataxia of gait and cerebellar atrophy /were reported/.
The acute and chronic effects of ethanol on pancreatic structure and function are discussed. Acute necrotizing, acute edematous, acute relapsing, chronic relapsing, and painless pancreatitis have an established association with ethanol abuse.read the entire report at the link below:




The consumer Foods information on foodaq.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007 FoodAQ - Terms of Use - Contact us - Privacy Policy

Food's Q&A Resources