Ethanol is the most widely used alcohol. It is commonly consumed for its intoxicating effect. It is also used fairly frequently as a fuel. This simple chemical has had huge effects on human society for thousands of years.
Attaching an oxygen hydrogen combo called a hydroxyl to a carbon atom in an organic compound will give you what chemists call an alcohol. There are many substances that fit this description. In ordinary language, the word alcohol almost always means ethanol. It is also called grain alcohol. Another common alcohol is methanol, which has an even simpler structure. It is also called wood alcohol, because it used to be mainly derived from wood.
People have made and consumed this substance since before historical records were first created. It is commonly produced by fermentation. In this process, yeast or other microorganisms are introduced to a fluid that contains water and sugar. The yeast consumes the sugar and produces ethanol as a byproduct.
Juice from grapes is fermented into wine. Various grains are used to make beer. Anything with sugar will work. Since grain has much more starch than sugar, it is either cooked or malted (sprouted) to convert the starch to sugar.
As fermentation proceeds, either the sugar is all used, or the alcohol concentration kills the yeast. Thus fermentation is limited to producing 15% or less alcohol. This can be increased by distilling the product of fermentation.
The distilling process was invented almost a thousand years ago. Ethanol has a lower boiling point than water, so heating the product of fermentation will evaporate more alcohol than water. When the vapor is condensed, it will have an increased alcohol concentration. Very high alcohol levels can be reached with repeated distillation.
More people around the world use ethanol than any other psychoactive substance. It causes depression of the central nervous system. Small amounts bring on relaxation and general good feeling. The next step up can result in poor judgment, impulsive actions, and perhaps the use of violence. Next we may see stupefaction and perhaps a blackout. A high enough dosage will kill. Usage is implicated in a large percentage of automobile accidents resulting in fatalities. Even fairly light usage can cause enough increase in reaction time to be dangerous.
Regular consumption over extended periods will lead to alcoholism for many. This includes psychological as well as physical dependency. Unfortunately, for a heavy drinker, quitting cold turkey can cause major problems, and may even be fatal.
Heavy consumption over a long period of time results in major health issues. On the other hand, regular consumption of small doses appears to have significant health benefits. These benefits should be balanced against the risk of developing alcoholism from long term, regular use.
As well as being a drug, ethanol is also a fuel, similar in many ways to gasoline. Small amounts can be blended with gasoline and burned in standard gas burning engines. It can also be used straight with some simple modifications.
It is one of the most widely used biofuels. Today in the United States it is commonly made from corn. Unfortunately, this reduces food supplies. Another problem is that when the total energy required to make this biofuel is added up, including growing the corn, fermenting it, and distilling it, it appears that more fossil fuels are used than are displaced. Deriving it from other sources such as sugar cane or cellulose may be more efficient.
Ethanol suppliers have a big role in human history. The picture of its use as a drug is a mixture of good and bad. Its role as a fuel is much the same, but its future here is fairly promising.
Attaching an oxygen hydrogen combo called a hydroxyl to a carbon atom in an organic compound will give you what chemists call an alcohol. There are many substances that fit this description. In ordinary language, the word alcohol almost always means ethanol. It is also called grain alcohol. Another common alcohol is methanol, which has an even simpler structure. It is also called wood alcohol, because it used to be mainly derived from wood.
People have made and consumed this substance since before historical records were first created. It is commonly produced by fermentation. In this process, yeast or other microorganisms are introduced to a fluid that contains water and sugar. The yeast consumes the sugar and produces ethanol as a byproduct.
Juice from grapes is fermented into wine. Various grains are used to make beer. Anything with sugar will work. Since grain has much more starch than sugar, it is either cooked or malted (sprouted) to convert the starch to sugar.
As fermentation proceeds, either the sugar is all used, or the alcohol concentration kills the yeast. Thus fermentation is limited to producing 15% or less alcohol. This can be increased by distilling the product of fermentation.
The distilling process was invented almost a thousand years ago. Ethanol has a lower boiling point than water, so heating the product of fermentation will evaporate more alcohol than water. When the vapor is condensed, it will have an increased alcohol concentration. Very high alcohol levels can be reached with repeated distillation.
More people around the world use ethanol than any other psychoactive substance. It causes depression of the central nervous system. Small amounts bring on relaxation and general good feeling. The next step up can result in poor judgment, impulsive actions, and perhaps the use of violence. Next we may see stupefaction and perhaps a blackout. A high enough dosage will kill. Usage is implicated in a large percentage of automobile accidents resulting in fatalities. Even fairly light usage can cause enough increase in reaction time to be dangerous.
Regular consumption over extended periods will lead to alcoholism for many. This includes psychological as well as physical dependency. Unfortunately, for a heavy drinker, quitting cold turkey can cause major problems, and may even be fatal.
Heavy consumption over a long period of time results in major health issues. On the other hand, regular consumption of small doses appears to have significant health benefits. These benefits should be balanced against the risk of developing alcoholism from long term, regular use.
As well as being a drug, ethanol is also a fuel, similar in many ways to gasoline. Small amounts can be blended with gasoline and burned in standard gas burning engines. It can also be used straight with some simple modifications.
It is one of the most widely used biofuels. Today in the United States it is commonly made from corn. Unfortunately, this reduces food supplies. Another problem is that when the total energy required to make this biofuel is added up, including growing the corn, fermenting it, and distilling it, it appears that more fossil fuels are used than are displaced. Deriving it from other sources such as sugar cane or cellulose may be more efficient.
Ethanol suppliers have a big role in human history. The picture of its use as a drug is a mixture of good and bad. Its role as a fuel is much the same, but its future here is fairly promising.
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With sales of approximately $2 billion, we operate over 30 market pulp, wood pulp product manufacturing units, and produces silvichemicals from by-products of its pulping process and specialty chemicals.
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