Ethanol

Hazards

• Ethanol and mixtures with water greater than about 50% ethanol are flammable and easily ignited, although there are some solvents and organic compounds which are even more flammable.
• Ethanol within the human body is converted into acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase and then into acetic acid by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. The product of the first step of this breakdown, acetaldehyde, is more toxic than ethanol. Acetaldehyde is linked to most of the clinical effects of alcohol. It has been shown to increase the risk of contracting cirrhosis of the liver, multiple forms of cancer, and alcoholism.
• Although ethanol is not highly toxic, death from ethyl alcohol consumption is possible when blood alcohol level reaches 0.4%. A blood level of 0.5% or more is commonly fatal. Levels of even less than 0.1% can cause intoxication, with unconsciousness often occurring at 0.3-0.4%. There are often drunk driving laws governing the acceptable levels in the blood while driving or operating heavy machinery, usual limits being 0.05% or 0.08%. Methyl alcohol or methanol, on the other hand, is very toxic.
• Ethanol has been shown to increase the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii, the bacteria responsible for pneumonia, meningitis and urinary tract infections. This finding counteracts the common misconception that drinking alcohol can kill off a budding infection. (Smith and Snyder, 2005)