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What are the hazards of Isopropyl Alcohol?
There are many advantages of using isopropyl alcohol in the manufacturing process because of its low cost. Still, it’s essential to know some of the risks and dangers of isopropyl alcohol. This article will cover some of those issues so that you can take full advantage of isopropyl alcohol benefits while mitigating the hazards of this potentially dangerous liquid.
Warning: In case of emergency or accidental consumption, immediately seek medical attention or consult with a healthcare professional. Production Automation Corporation (PAC) does not provide medical advice or patient-specific recommendations. The information herein is educational only.
In case of emergency
Emergency: Move to Fresh Air Immediately and Call (your local emergency service number)
Non-Emergency: Get Fresh Air and Call the Poison Control Hotline.
For questions about toxicity or exposure risk, please contact the manufacturer.
How Flammable is Isopropyl Alcohol?
Isopropyl alcohol is highly flammable and can easily ignite. Vapours may form explosive mixtures with air, travelling to a source of ignition and flash back, and using water spray to fight fires may be inefficient. Isopropyl alcohol should be kept away from heat, sparks, flames and other sources of ignition, as well as strong oxidizers, acetaldehyde, chlorine, ethylene oxide, acids, and isocyanates. A flammable safety cabinet is the best storage option.
Another danger of using isopropyl alcohol is poisoning. IPA poisoning occurs when the liver is no longer able to manage the amount of IPA in the body. Your body can handle small amounts of isopropyl alcohol. Your kidneys remove approximately 20% to 50% of IPA from your body. The rest is broken down into acetone by enzymes known as alcohol dehydrogenases. This acetone is filtered out of your body through the lungs or kidneys.
What Happens if You Ingest Isopropyl Alcohol?
Isopropyl alcohol can enter the body in three ways: ingestion, inhalation, and absorption.
The first way is the most direct and easiest to avoid. Since ingesting IPA causes rapid intoxication, people sometimes drink it when conventional alcohol is unavailable or as a means of suicide. ingesting isopropyl alcohol has an immediate effect on the central nervous system, which controls the involuntary actions of the body, including heartbeat, breathing, and gag reflex. Isopropyl alcohol slows these functions and may shut them down altogether. IPA is so strong that it can induce hypothermia and subsequent cardiac arrest. The blood thinning also causes blood sugar levels to fall so sharply that seizures may result.
Limiting access to large amounts of IPA can deter people from misusing the product in this way. IPA should always be kept in a container marked, preferably with a GHS label. It should never be kept anywhere or in anything that might be mistaken for consumption, for example, in a water bottle or near where food is prepared or consumed.
Isopropyl alcohol inhalation occurs anytime you are around an open container, although working with reasonable amounts of IPA is generally safe, it can cause headaches. Inhaling large amounts of isopropyl alcohol can cause nausea, vomiting, irritation of the nose and mucous membranes, throat irritations, and even difficulty with breathing as coughing can occur, making it difficult for you to catch your breath.
What Are the Side-Effects of Isopropyl Alcohol Poisoning?
Isopropyl alcohol can enter the body in three ways: ingestion, inhalation, and absorption.
The first way is the most direct and easiest to avoid. Since ingesting IPA causes rapid intoxication, people sometimes drink it when conventional alcohol is unavailable or as a means of suicide. ingesting isopropyl alcohol has an immediate effect on the central nervous system, which controls the involuntary actions of the body, including heartbeat, breathing, and gag reflex. Isopropyl alcohol slows these functions and may shut them down altogether. IPA is so strong that it can induce hypothermia and subsequent cardiac arrest. The blood thinning also causes blood sugar levels to fall so sharply that seizures may result.
Limiting access to large amounts of IPA can deter people from misusing the product in this way. IPA should always be kept in a container marked, preferably with a GHS label. It should never be kept anywhere or in anything that might be mistaken for consumption, for example, in a water bottle or near where food is prepared or consumed.
Isopropyl alcohol inhalation occurs anytime you are around an open container, although working with reasonable amounts of IPA is generally safe, it can cause headaches. Inhaling large amounts of isopropyl alcohol can cause nausea, vomiting, irritation of the nose and mucous membranes, throat irritations, and even difficulty with breathing as coughing can occur, making it difficult for you to catch your breath.
Some of the effects of IPA poisoning are as follows:
- Dizziness
- Low blood pressure
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Rapid heart rate, or tachycardia
- Low body temperature
- Slurred speech
- Slow breathing
- Vomiting
- Unresponsive reflexes
- Throat pain or burning
- Seizure
- Coma
What's the Treatment?
If you experience any of these symptoms after exposure to IPA, or if you see symptoms in another, the first step is to remove yourself or the individual from further exposure and place them in a fresh air environment. If symptoms persist, immediately seek medical attention.
Further treatment depends on the extent of exposure and the type of exposure. When isopropyl alcohol has been ingested, individuals who are conscious and not convulsing should drink one to two glasses of water to dilute the chemical. Do not induce vomiting, as the chemical can be aspirated into the lungs causing further damage. A medical professional may use laxatives and activated charcoal to clear stomach contents.
In inhalation exposure, the individual should be moved into the open air. If fresh air does not improve symptoms, medical help should be called to provide respiratory support, along with oxygen and fluids, when high-level inhalation exposure has occurred.
When contact with the skin has occurred, the affected skin should be flooded with water and gently and thoroughly washed with soap and water. If a large spill in contact with skin, wash and monitor for signs of poisoning, and seek medical treatment if symptoms appear.
If the affected individual is wearing contact lenses, they must be removed. The eyes should be flushed with water or normal saline solution for 20 to 30 minutes or longer if necessary, lifting the upper and lower lids occasionally.
Be Aware of the Dangers
The more informed users are of the dangers of products, the easier it is to maintain safety. When using IPA in a workplace, make sure all of the employees are trained in the proper use of isopropyl alcohol, have access to safety equipment, and understand the symptoms of poisoning so that they can recognize it in themselves or others.
If breathing is impaired for an extended period of time and there is trouble getting enough oxygen into the bloodstream, you can become dizzy and even lose consciousness and require resuscitation. Always use IPA in a well-ventilated area and utilize proper safety equipment in the event of a spill. If someone experiences breathing problems, the individual should immediately be removed and placed into the fresh air. If the person’s breathing is still impeded, call your local emergency line immediately.
Isopropyl alcohol is readily absorbed through the skin, so spilling large amounts of IPA on the skin may cause accidental poisoning. Small amounts of IPA on the skin is generally not dangerous, but repeated skin exposure can cause itching, redness, rash, drying, and cracking. Prolonged skin contact may cause corrosion. Always wash thoroughly with soap and water when contact with IPA occurs, and always use safety equipment when dealing with large amounts of IPA.
Production Automation offers to offer not only the IPA but also the safety wear and products end-users should be implemented when using isopropyl alcohol.
For a safer alternative to IPA for cleaning your 3D resin prints, have you tried Monocure 3D RESINAWAY?