Ethanol is a liquid alcohol that is manufactured
by the fermentation of grains such as wheat, barley, corn, wood, and in
Brazil, sugar cane. Although it has been traditionally thought of as a
beverage product for use in spirits, beer and wine, ethanol is an important,
viable alternative to unleaded gasoline fuel. It is is a high-octane fuel
with high oxygen content (35% oxygen by weight) and when blended properly
in gasoline produces a cleaner, and more complete combustion.
Renewable Resource: ethanol is derived from renewable biological
feed stocks such as agricultural crops and forestry by-products. Commercial
Alcohols uses corn as a resource for producing ethanol in its plants at
Chatham and Tiverton.
Can I buy pure ethanol without a BATF permit?
Yes you can. If you do not have a permit, you must pay the federal
excise tax on the ethanol.
The federal excise tax on ethanol is $13.50 per proof gallon.
That works out to $27.00 per gallon of 200 Proof Ethanol.
Pharmco will include the federal excise tax in your invoice.
Can I buy specially denatured alcohol without a BATF permit?
Yes, but only up to 5 gallons of SDA product in one year. If you need
more than 5 gallons of specially denatured alcohol in one year, you must
obtain a BATF permit.
What is the difference between alcohol and ethanol?
The term “Alcohol” can literally mean
-- Pure Ethanol,
-- Denatured Ethanol (Alcohol)
as well as other alcohols which are not Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol).
The term “Alcohol” can mean
-- Pure Alcohol which is undenatured Ethanol.
This means that it is suitable for consumption.
The term “Alcohol” can refer to
-- pure alcohol at any level of concentration (proof).
Therefore, pure alcohol is a correct term for
-- 100% Ethanol (200 proof),
-- 95% Ethanol (190 proof)
and any concentration of Ethanol (Vodka is 40% Ethanol).
The term “Alcohol” can mean Denatured alcohol.
-- Denatured alcohol is Ethanol
which has been made unsuitable for consumption
by addition of toxic solvents to the pure alcohol.
The term “Alcohol” can therefore refer to
any denatured ethanol product,
regardless of the proof of Ethanol
and the concentration of Ethanol in the denatured product
-- (i.e., SDA-39C is referred to as Specially denatured “Alcohol”,
even though it contains 1% Diethyl Phthalate
as a denaturant and even though the Ethanol content
of this mixture can be 190 proof or 200 proof.)
There are several hundred standard formulas of denatured alcohol
(Ethanol).
All of them can be called “Alcohol."
The term “Alcohol” can also refer to other solvents which are non Ethanol
based but which are chemically classified as Alcohol's.
For instance,
Isopropyl Alcohol,
Methyl Alcohol,
Butyl Alcohol, &
Propyl Alcohol
are all “alcohol” but none are ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol).
Since Pharmco manufactures a wide range of Alcohol products,
care must be taken when using the term alcohol, to communicate what product
or class of products is being requested.
What is the difference between pure and purity?
Please note the difference between the term “Pure” and “Purity."
Pure
The former denotes an undenatured product (or a product with a single
component) as opposed to a mixture.
Purity
The latter term purity, refers to the assay or percent composition
of the chemical. For instance 190 proof pure Ethanol has an assay (Purity)
of 95% Ethanol and 5% water.
This distinction is very important when discussing the critical levels
of contaminants and other specifications of a wide range of chemical products.
When referring to the purity of the product, it is better to use the term
assay. When referring to undenatured Ethanol, the term Pure Alcohol is
suitable.
What is the difference between natural and synthetic?
All Ethanol Products can be made with naturally derived Ethanol (commonly
referred to as “Grain” alcohol), or synthetically produced Ethanol.
Natural alcohol is commonly referred to as Grain Alcohol because
almost all commercial alcohol produced in North America is derived from
grain (corn). Not all naturally derived Ethanol however, comes from grain
(corn). Ethanol can be naturally produced (fermented) from any carbohydrate
source.
Some of the other common sources are
wheat, cane, beet and other fruits such as grape and apple.
While grain and synthetic alcohol is technically the same (the
molecule is identical), there are differences in the limited amount of
contaminants in the product
The most predominant being
sec-Butanol,
Acetone and
Methanol.
An experienced chemist with a High Resolution Gas Chromatograph
can detect the difference in grain and synthetic
by looking the these contaminants in the parts-per-million (ppm) range.
Pharmco Products manufactures both grain and synthetic grades
of all its alcohol products.
If these minute differences are critical to your application, then
the type of alcohol must be specifically requested at the time of ordering.
What is the difference between 190 proof and 200 proof?
All Ethanol products, whether pure or denatured, natural or synthetic,
has a proof associated with the product description.
The proof is a measure of the water content of the Ethanol portion
of the product and any level of proof can be manufactured based upon the
amount of water added (referred to as dilution or cut of water).
To define it another way, the proof is a measure of the Ethanol
content of Alcohol and is calculated as two times (2x) the actual Ethanol
concentration by volume.
Industrially, the majority of all Ethanol products,
whether pure or denatured can be classified as
200 proof or
190 proof.
The third most common proof is 192.
This is used mainly in beverage grade applications.
Remember, the proof is a measure of the water or Ethanol content
of pure or denatured Alcohol. This is true even if the Ethanol is only
one component of the finished product as with all denatured Ethanol products.
So every Ethanol product can be and should be referred to and requested
as 200 proof, 190 proof or some other proof.
What is the difference between Proof Gallon and Wine Gallon?
Since the Federal Govt. taxes by the “Proof Gallon,” the proof becomes
significant in taxable situations. For instance, 200 proof, pure Ethanol
has two (2) “Proof Gallons” per every one (1) gallon of Alcohol. The actual
physical quantity of one (1) gallon is then referred to as a “wine gallon.”
190 proof Ethanol has 1.9 proof gallons per wine gallon of Ethanol. One
gallon of Vodka (80 proof) has 0.80 proof gallons of Ethanol. So, we have
proof gallon and wine gallon as additional descriptions for the content
of Ethanol product.
What is the difference between Taxable and Non-Taxable Alcohol?
Pure alcohol is considered taxable alcohol.
The Federal Govt. requires an excise tax of $13.50/ proof gallon
(200 proof, pure alcohol = $27.00/wine gallon).
A tax exempt certificate is required to be on file with Pharmco
for us not to charge the Federal excise tax on pure alcohol.
The excise tax is paid immediately to the Federal Govt.
Pharmco Products does not make any profit from collecting or handling
the excise tax, nor does it receive a portion of it as a fee.
This is why Pharmco has strict policies regarding payment of the excise
tax.
All other denatured Ethanol products do not require the payment of a
Federal Excise Tax.
Only customers with an exemption from paying the Federal Excise Tax
on Alcohol are free from paying this tax. Eligibility for exemption is
determined by the BATF and not Pharmco.
What is Anhydrous Alcohol?
Anhydrous Alcohol literally means no-water alcohol but in reality
means low-water alcohol. This distinction is synonymous with 200 proof
Alcohol.
Another term for anhydrous is Punctilious (USI trademark). Our
anhydrous grades of Alcohol are always below 0.3% water, typically below
0.2% water and many grades are certified below 0.1% water.
The term Punctilious is a USI trademark used to denote a pure
alcohol 200 proof. Some customers are not aware that this is a commercial
trademark used by UCI to denote its products. It is also important to note
that the term “Anhydrous” is not synonymous with the term pure.
Pure Alcohol denotes an undenatured alcohol, which could be anhydrous
or hydrated (190 proof or some other cut or proof). The term anhydrous
is not unique to Alcohol products. It is also used for a wide range of
high purity solvents, many of which are manufactured by Pharmco. Unless
an ACS, USP/NF, FCC, or BP monograph exists for an Anhydrous product (for
example), the customer must specify the maximum level of water allowed.
Almost all Pharmco’s High Purity Solvents are Anhydrous.
Check the specifications and typical lot analysis listed for each product
to determine if the water levels are within the tolerance of your application.
What is Grade Certification?
Pure Alcohol as well as many solvents and acids can be certified to
a specific grade.
This means that the product is tested for a number of parameters (the
product specifications) to determine if the raw material meets the maximum
and minimum requirements for purity and other contaminants. Grade Certification
can also refer to the manner in which the product has been manufactured,
processed and/or packaged. When this is done according the guidelines that
the Federal Government (through the FDA) has established, i.e., Current
Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), the product can be certified as USP,
NF (USP/NF) and FCC. Other process certifications are “Kosher” and Organic
Grades
What is Pure Undenatured Ethanol?
Pure Ethanol is Ethyl Alcohol with no other additives or denaturants.
Pharmco’s Pure Ethanol is among the highest quality in the world.
Pure Ethanol is often referred to as pure alcohol even though the term
pure alcohol can refer to any proof of Ethanol. Pure Alcohol is still considered
“pure” regardless of the “cut” of water (i.e., pure, 200 proof Ethanol
is referred to as pure alcohol, while Vodka is also referred to as pure
alcohol, even though it is only 80 proof). The term pure alcohol can also
refer to other high purity alcohols such as Methyl Alcohol, Butyl Alcohol,
Benzyl Alcohol etc. Pure Alcohol (Ethanol) is also commonly referred to
as Beverage Grade Alcohol. Beverage Grade Alcohol is always 192 proof and
is derived from natural sources.
Pharmco sells 192 proof Pure Ethanol which is our product “Grain Neutral
Spirits."
Pharmco does not however, sell alcohol for consumption purposes.
What is Specially Denatured Alcohol (SDA)?
Specially Denatured Alcohol is Pure Ethanol that is rendered unfit
for drinking purposes. This is done by adding solvents such as
Methanol,
Ethyl Acetate,
IPA
and many others in quantities specified by the Federal Government.
The addition of these solvents is what “denatures” the pure alcohol
making it unfit for consumption. Therefore, the term “denatured” does not
mean to alter the Ethanol molecule (as when a protein is denatured by heat
or a chemical agent), but to make the Ethanol unfit for consumption by
“spoiling” or “poisoning” the alcohol.
Certain SDA’s have additives as well as denaturants. These additives
are specific to each application. For instance SDA 38B when intended for
use as a mouthwash has 1% w/ v Menthol as an additive. SDA 38B when used
as a soap has 1% w/v lavender added. There are over 40 SDA formulations
intended for various applications. All SDA formulations and their intended
use are determined and regulated by the BATF (Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco
& Firearms). One of the key differences between SDA’s and other denatured
Ethanol products (General Use Formulas) is the level of added denaturants.
SDA’s are typically denatured at a level between 1-10%.
Due to the minimum level of denaturant used in SDA’s, the BATF
considers these products capable of being un-denatured.
Since there is no Federal Excise Tax collected on SDA’s the BATF
wants to be sure of the intended, legal application.
This is the primary reason why all SDA’s require a permit for use,
storage or resale.
Specially Denatured Alcohol's are used in a wide variety of common
products including personal care, flavor & fragrance and other industrial
grade products. It is also used in laboratories, hospitals and research
facilities.
While SDA’s are not taxed, the customer must obtain proper
permits from the BATF in order to use more than 5 gallons of denatured
product in a one year period. Products which do not require a BATF
permit are referred to as “General Use Formulas."
Pharmco has the capability of manufacturing all SDA’s but chooses
not to produce certain formulas due to the carcinogenic nature of certain
denaturants
(i.e., Benzene, Glycol Ether EE, etc.)
or extreme danger other hazardous denaturants may pose.
CDA | What is Completely Denatured Alcohol?
Completely Denatured Alcohol is another type of denatured Alcohol which
has a minimum level of denaturant (approximately 5%).
CDA is unique in that it has a minimum level of denaturant but does
not require a permit by the BATF.
This is due to the type of denaturant used, which is considered
to be very offensive; example: MIBK with gasoline or kerosene.
While a permit is not required, the manufacture, resale, transport,
storage and use of CDA’s is subject to certain Federal regulations and
documentation.
Completely Denatured Alcohol
may not be used in the manufacture of preparations or products for
internal human use or consumption where any of the alcohol or the denaturants
used in that alcohol remain in the finished product.
What is Reagent Alcohol?
Reagent Alcohol is a very important General Use Formula.
Reagent Alcohol is made by adding 5 parts by volume (i.e. gallons),
of IPA to 95 parts of by volume SDA 3A Alcohol.
SDA 3A is 100 parts pure Ethanol mixed with 5 parts of pure Methanol.
Therefore, Reagent Alcohol is an SDA-3a derivative, or put another
way
Reagent Alcohol is a “Denatured SDA-3A."
The actual percentages by weight and volume of
Ethanol-Methanol-IPA
are not exactly 90-5-5 due to the nature of the blend
(as if often misunderstood
(90.25% Ethanol, 4.75% Methanol & 5% IPA by volume).
Reagent Alcohol has one of the lowest levels of denaturant of
all the General Use Formulas.
It is also one of the few formulas that does not contain MIBK or Ethyl
Acetate.
It is among the cleanest and purest of the General Use Formulas
as it is the “all alcohol, denatured Ethanol."
By using Reagent Grades of Methanol and IPA,
Reagent Alcohol can be made for UV and LC suitability.
Due to the low level of denaturants, the high purity of the denaturants
& the fact that no permits are required for quantities under 4
liters,
Reagent Alcohol is the Denatured Ethanol of choice
among Hospitals, Universities and Research Institutions.
While it is classified as a General Use Formula,
and it requires no permit, Reagent Alcohol is subject to some BATF
regulation.
Any use over 5 gallons in a single year
in package sizes greater than 4 Liters must be reported to the BATF.
A letter of registration must be on file with the BATF and with Pharmco.
Any quantity in package sizes equal to and below 4 liter does not require
any reporting.
Also, according to the Federal Regulations,
“Reagent Alcohol may be distributed in bulk containers to proprietors
of bona fide laboratory supply houses for packaging and resale, and to
any other person who (is) qualified to receive bulk shipments of Reagent
Alcohol.”
