alcohol %96

[viscount]

This might dip into biology a tiny bit...

 

Within the ingredients of said product it says: "Alcohol %96, Isopropyl Alcohol, IPM, Glycerin" etc.

 

It is marketed as a bactericide and hand sanitizer akin to Purel.

 

However why don't they use %62 alcohol like Purel for maximum effect?

 

Can %96 alcohol kill germs as effectively as well?

[insane_alien]

if anything 96% can kill them more effectively.

 

why do you think 62% is the most effective?

[CaptainPanic]

if anything 96% can kill them more effectively.

 

why do you think 62% is the most effective?

Hydrophobic bacteria?

(note: this reply was not helpful)

 

Btw, wikipedia has a small webpage about Purell... for those who never heard of the stuff.

It says that the active ingredient is simply ethanol (no other additives). That would suggest that the 96% ethanol would work just as fine... or probably even better.

 

Btw, the other one contains IPM. Googling for [iPM solvent] suggests that this IPM is Isopropyl myristate, which is a cosmetic that facilitates absorption through the skin. Doesn't sound like a disinfectant to me. (Of course, a 3 letter abbreviation can have more than 1 meaning).

Edited July 8, 2009 by CaptainPanic

[John Cuthber]

I can't remember the details but I have seen somewhere that about 70% alcohol is more effective as a bactericide than 100% alcohol.

If I remember it was because the 100% stuff causes some bacteria to form spores that are resistant.

[CharonY]

It is unlikely that the final concentration of ethanol is 96%. First it is hard to synthesize Ethanol with a higher purity than 96% to begin with and second, it is generally diluted with other components (so the final concentration will be lower).

Finally, John is right that 70%-80% has the highest bactericidal rates, but it is independent on the ability to sporulate.