Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol) Formula, Uses, Solubility, Miscibility, Hazards, Density, Structure, Chemical Properties, Melting Point, Boiling Point, Hazards And CAS Registry Number
The difference between ethanol and alcohol is not complex. Ethyl alcohol (ethanol), is the type of alcohol that you can drink if it is not denatured with toxic denaturants. Ethanol is called grain alcohol because it is produced by grain fermentation.

Ethanol Uses

  • Ethanol Is Used For Cleaning
  • Ethanol Is Used For Drinking
  • Ethanol Is Used For Botanical Extraction
  • Ethanol Is Used For Sterilization
  • Ethanol Is Used As A Solvent To Manufacture Varnishes
  • Ethanol Is Used As A Solvent To Manufacture Perfumes
  • Ethanol Is A Preservative For Biological Specimens
  • Ethanol Is Used To Prepare Essences And Flavorings
  • Ethanol Is Used To Treat Methanol Poisoning
  • Ethanol Is Used For Fuel And Gasoline Additive
  • Ethanol Is Used As A Disinfectant
  • Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol) Is Used As A Principal Ingredient To Make Alcoholic Beverages, Beer, Wine, Brandy And Liquor
  • Ethanol Is Used For DNA Extraction
  • Ethanol Is Used To Dissolve Aspirin
  • Ethanol Is Used In Many Medicines And Drugs
  • Ethanol Is Used For Agriculture
  • Ethanol Is Used In Tinctures Such As Iodine

More Information On Denatured Alcohol Uses

Denatured alcohol serves as a cleaning agent, fuel additive, sanding aid, exterminator, and as a solvent. Typical applications of denatured alcohols include:

  • Window Cleaning
  • Fueling of Small Camping Stoves
  • Removal of Ink Stains
  • Pharmaceutical Uses
  • Pest Extermination
  • Woodworking
  • Paint Removal
  • Read more here

Ethanol Extraction

Order ethanol extraction supplies at LabAlley.com. Ethanol is a good solvent for extracting compounds and terpenes from medicinal plant materials. Because ethanol is miscible in water (mixes with water), it can break down water soluble molecules such as chlorophyll. Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) is 'Generally Regarded as Safe' (GRAS) by the FDA. Botanical extract makers in the U.S. order ethanol, solvents and ethanol extraction products at LabAlley.com. Plant materials are soaked in solvents such as food grade ethanol or ethanol denatured with heptane to extract important therapeutic substances. After a period of time, the plant materials is removed, the liquid is filtered and the ethanol is purged through a variety of evaporation processes.

Buy Ethanol Extraction Supplies, Equipment, Machines, Centrifuges, Filters, Products And Vessels Online

Ethanol Chemical Properties

To learn more about U.S. regulations concerning the use of denatured alcohol, please refer to the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations here. For guidance from the FDA for using denatured alcohol to make commercial hand sanitizers, please refer to this PDF titled, "Policy for Temporary Compounding of Certain Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Products During the Public Health Emergency Immediately in Effect Guidance for Industry".

How To Use Ethanol

Ethanol is a good fuel for use in spark-ignition engines. It has a high octane number, making it attractive as an antiknock additive in gasoline. It can be used as an additive for diesel (biodiesel). Ethanol is also an important feedstock for the chemical industry. Read more here.

Ethanol Uses, Benefits And Chemical Safety Facts

Ethanol, also called alcohol, ethyl alcohol and grain alcohol, is a clear, colorless liquid and the principle ingredient in alcoholic beverages like beer, wine or brandy. Because it can readily dissolve in water and other organic compounds, ethanol also is an ingredient in a range of products, from personal care and beauty products to paints and varnishes to fuel. Read more here.

Ethanol Safety, Risks And Hazards

Inhalation or contact with ethanol may irritate or burn skin and eyes. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation. Runoff from fire control may cause pollution.

The effects of ethanol on health are observed in those who consume excessive alcoholic beverages: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, even respiratory paralysis.

Alcohol Solubility

  • Methanol (CH3OH) Is Miscible
  • Ethanol (C2H5OH) Is Miscible
  • Propanol (C3H7OH) Is Miscible
  • Butanol (C4H9OH): 0.11
  • Pentanol (C5H11OH): 0.030
  • Hexanol (C6H13OH): 0.0058
  • Heptanol (C7H15OH): 0.0008

Ethanol Production

Most ethanol in the United States is produced from starch-based crops by dry- or wet-mill processing. Nearly 90% of ethanol plants are dry mills due to lower capital costs. Dry-milling is a process that grinds corn into flour and ferments it into ethanol with co-products of distillers grains and carbon dioxide. Read more here.

Manufacturing Fuel Ethanol

Fermentation is the most common method for producing fuel ethanol. The most common ethanol production processes today use yeast to ferment the starch and sugars in corn, sugar cane, and sugar beets. The starch in corn kernels is fermented into sugar, which is then fermented into alcohol. Read more here.

Ethanol For Extraction

While heating ethanol can increase the extraction process's efficiency, ethanol is a good solvent for extracting terpenes. Therefore, it can be used as an extraction solvent at room temperature or under supercooled conditions. Read more here.

Ethanol will readily mix with water and dissolve water soluble molecules. Chlorophyll is one of those compounds which will easily co-extract when using ethanol as a solvent. Read more here.

Scientific Overview Of Ethanol

Ethanol obtained from distillation contains about 95% ethanol, which is usually enough for applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, solvent, and chemical industries. Distillation is not able to provide a higher concentration of ethanol due to its azeotrope point with water. However, for blending with gasoline, ethanol must have at least 99.2% purity, which is obtained by dehydration or drying of the ethanol after the distillation. Distillation can be achieved using several methods, such as extractive distillation or pervaporation, azeotropic distillation, membrane technology, CO2 extraction, and vapor recompression . However, molecular sieve drying technology is the most commonly used today. In this method ethanol from distillation is passed through layers of synthetic zeolite with identical pore sizes, and the zeolite selectively adsorbs molecules of water. Read more here.

Bulk Hand Sanitizer Ingredients For Sale

  • Buy denatured alcohol-based hand sanitizer ingredients at LabAlley.com.
  • Buy virus disinfectants in bulk here.
  • Buy isopropyl alcohol in bulk here.
  • Buy glycerin and glycerol in bulk here.
  • Buy hydrogen peroxide in bulk here.
  • Buy benzalkonium chloride (BZK) in bulk here.

Bulk Denatured Alcohol For Sale

    DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer, Disinfectant Wipes and Sprays: Simple Guide to Make Your Own Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer, Bleach Disinfectant Spray, Antibacterial Wipes | Kindle Edition At Amazon

    Read This Kindle Guide To Learn How To Use The Sanitizer And Disinfectant Ingredients You Buy Online At LabAlley.com

    Easy Recipes To Make Your Own Homemade And Natural Hand Sanitizer, Disinfectant Wipes, And Sprays For Your Family

    With increasing public awareness of the new epidemic, hand-disinfectants have become challenging to find. This book offers you the opportunity to learn “How to make your own Homemade Hand Sanitizer” which is not just crucial but essential for you and your family against different bacteria diseases and Viruses. Many Shoppers have decided to go the do-it-yourself route to protect themselves from germs as most stores no longer have the alcohol-based sanitizing gel, wipes, and face masks. All the recipes in this book follow the recommendation of the CDC on fighting germs and keeping yourself and your family free from germs and illnesses.
    In this guide, you will find:

    Is Rubbing Alcohol And Denatured Alcohol The Same Thing?

    Rubbing alcohol is a generic term and is usually manufactured with isopropyl alcohol. Denatured alcohol contains ethanol and is engineered to discourage recreational human consumption by including additives that are poisonous, bad tasting, bad smelling or nauseating. Read more here.

    100%, 95% And 70% Alcohol For Sale Online

    Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA/ Rubbing Alcohol) For Sale

    Denatured Ethyl Alcohol For Sale In The U.S.

    What is denatured alcohol or ethanol? The denatured alcohol formula is C2H5OH. It is also called methylated spirit or denatured rectified spirit. Some types of 200 proof alcohol are denatured IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) and NP Acetate (n-Propyl Acetate). Rubbing alcohol is a type of denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is ethanol (grain alcohol) with methanol added. It is called denatured because a poison has been added to the drinkable ethanol for tax reasons. Isopropyl alcohol, also called rubbing alcohol, is not a drinkable alcohol. You can buy denatured ethyl alcohol in the United States online from Lab Alley without an ethyl alcohol permit or a specially denatured alcohol permit, which are basically the same thing. The CAS Registry Number (CASRN or CAS Number) assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) to ethanol is 64-17-5. To request the denatured ethanol MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or SDS (Safety Data Sheet), click here. Buy Klean-Strip Denatured Alcohol At Lowe's here.

    Denatured alcohol is ethanol (ethyl alcohol) made unfit for human consumption by adding one or more chemicals (denaturants) to it. Denaturing refers to removing a property from the alcohol (being able to drink it), not to chemically altering or decomposing it, so denatured alcohol contains ordinary ethyl alcohol. Read more here.

    Technically, ethanol is not the same as denatured alcohol (methylated spirits). Although the main ingredient in denatured alcohol is ethanol, denatured alcohol is a blend of ethanol and toxic additives that prevent people from drinking it. This type of ethyl alcohol is called denatured alcohol because the natural qualities have been altered to make it unfit for drinking. Normally, the primary additive is methanol, so terms such as "methylated spirits" and "industrial methylated spirits" are used to describe denatured alcohol/ethanol. Other standard additives include Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)/2-Propanol, Ethyl Acetate, N-Propyl Acetate, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Acetone and Methyl Isobutyl Ketone. Ethanol is synthesized through the mechanism of hydration of ethylene or produced by fermentation.

    Denatured Alcohol Percentage

    It is prepared from a special denatured alcohol solution and contains approximately 70 percent by volume of pure, concentrated ethanol (ethyl alcohol) or isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol). Individual manufacturers can use their own "formulation standards" in which the ethanol content usually ranges from 70-99% v/v. Read more here.

    Is Denatured Alcohol Illegal In California?

    The State of California has joined a couple other states and Canada in banning Denatured Alcohol this year. It is no longer available in any hardware store, big box or woodworking supply houses. Read more here.

    Alternatives To Denatured Alcohol

    The only difference between denatured alcohol and Ethanol is the denatured has additives in it to make it non-potable. Read more here. Get information on non-toxic substitutes for denatured alcohol here.

    Information On Uses Of Denatured Alcohol From Wikipedia

    In many countries, sales of alcoholic beverages are heavily taxed for revenue and public health policy purposes (see Pigovian tax). In order to avoid paying beverage taxes on alcohol that is not meant to be consumed, the alcohol must be "denatured", or treated with added chemicals to make it unpalatable. Its composition is tightly defined by government regulations in countries that tax alcoholic beverages. Denatured alcohol is used identically to ethanol itself except for applications that involve fuel, surgical and laboratory stock. Pure ethanol is required for food and beverage applications and certain chemical reactions where the denaturant would interfere. In molecular biology, denatured ethanol cannot be used for the precipitation of nucleic acids. Denatured alcohol has no advantages for any purpose over normal ethanol; it is a public policy compromise. As denatured alcohol is sold without the often heavy taxes on alcohol suitable for consumption, it is a cheaper solution for most uses that do not involve drinking. If pure ethanol were made cheaply available for fuel, solvents, or medicinal purposes, it would be used as a drink by some people. Read more here.

    Buy Ethanol Online At LabAlley.com/Collections/Ethanol

    Ethanol is for sale online in the U.S. You can buy 200 proof ethanol for personal and household uses. Ethanol is an ideal solvent for medicinal plant processing. Food grade ethanol is safe for botanical extraction and cosmetic uses. Ethyl alcohol is used in scientific laboratories. Ethanol is used by herbal and botanical extract makers. Ethanol is used for to make medicines and drugs.

    Buy Safe Ingredients And Chemicals For DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizers, Cosmetics, Makeup, Lotions, Soaps, Household Cleaning Products, Laboratory Sterilization, Food And Beverage Processing, Skin Care Formulations, Hospital Disinfectants, Personal Care Products, Botanical And Essential Oils, Botanical Extracts, Pharmaceutical Drugs, Herbal Tinctures, Kid Safe Pools, Pest Control Products, Lawn Care Products, Chemistry Labs, Natural Health Supplements And Vitamins, Virus Disinfection Products, Perfumes, Hospital Grade Detergents, Disinfecting Wipes And Disinfectant Sprays At LabAlley.com

    Buy bulk natural ingredients and antiviral chemicals, bulk food grade chemicals and organic raw materials for safe recipes for DIY homemade hand sanitizers here. Buy antiviral hand sanitizer ingredients, antiviral disinfectants, antiviral products and antiviral chemical compounds here. Buy antiviral hospital grade disinfectants, pharmaceutical grade substances, hand sanitizers, sterilization sprays, wipes, cleaners and detergents here.

    Buy lab supplies, laboratory glassware, chemical crystals and powders, oils, gels, spray bottles and stock chemical solutions to make virus disinfectants here. You can also buy other compounds and additives for safe hand sanitizer recipes, cosmetics and personal care products at LabAlley.com. Find out how chemicals are made, sold, priced, bought, shipped and used in the United States here.

    Popular additives for skin care products purchased online in bulk at wholesale prices at LabAlley.com include food grade ethanol, 100% alcohol, 95% alcohol, 70% alcohol, 99% isopropyl alcohol, 91% isopropyl alcohol, 70% isopropyl alcohol, 3% hydrogen peroxide, 6% hydrogen peroxide, food grade hydrogen peroxide, food grade (FCC) vegetable glycerin, Food Grade (FCC) glycerol, solvents, aqueous acids and acids in crystalline powder form.

    Shop for popular ingredients used to formulate DIY homemade personal care products such as high purity water, citric acid, menthol crystals, natural peppermint oil, Polysorbate 80, phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCC), denatured alcohol, n-Propanol, MCT (Coconut Oil), sodium hypochlorite, salicylic acid, fumaric acid, sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, benzalkonium chloride, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, ammonium hydroxide, olive oil at LabAlley.com. Buy antiviral hand sanitizer ingredients, antiviral disinfectants, antiviral products and antiviral chemical compounds here. Buy antiviral hospital grade disinfectants, pharmaceutical grade substances, hand sanitizers, sterilization sprays, wipes, cleaners and detergents here. Buy lab supplies, chemical powders, oils, gels, spray bottles and chemical solutions to make virus disinfectants here at LabAlley.com.

    Where To Buy Ethanol To Make Your Own Hand Sanitizers, Surface Disinfectants And Household Cleaners To Use Against Viruses

    Properly made homemade hand sanitizer solutions can destroy the viruses. Ethanol Alcohol (ethyl alcohol) can be used at home to make your own hand sanitizer mixtures. Alcohol (ethanol) used for alcohol-based hand sanitizers is derived from distillation or fermentation processes typically used for consumable goods. Antiviral hand sanitizer ingredients are for sale online here. 60% ethanol or 70% isopropyl alcohol inactivates viruses. Help protect against viruses by cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and objects in your home like tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc.

    Use Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol) To Make Household Surface Disinfectants And Commercial Cleaners To Control Viruses

    To increase the supply of hand sanitizers, the FDA issued guidance for manufacturers that would like to produce alcohol (ethanol or ethyl alcohol) for use in alcohol-based hand sanitizers for consumers and health care personnel. LabAlley.com has addressed shortages of alcohol-based hand sanitizers associated with the virus pandemic by stocking the ingredients used to compound alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Buy safe chemical ingredients to make DIY homemade hand sanitizers and commercial cleaning solutions, here. Buy virus disinfectants and sprays for household use, here. Purchase hospital grade disinfectants here. Buy denatured ethanol here.

    Drinking methanol, ethanol or bleach DOES NOT prevent or cure viruses and can be extremely dangerous. Methanol, ethanol, and bleach are poisons

    US IPA Prices Soar On Rising Global Demand And Supply Shortage
    Author: Deniz Koray | Published On March 19, 2020
    Posted Here On March 27, 2020

    HOUSTON -- US isopropanol (IPA) prices surged this week on heavy demand for hand sanitizer, and there are no quick fixes for either the strong demand or the shortages of product. While European prices had risen to even higher numbers in the past month, US increases had been modest. However, prices surged this week, as domestic IPA spot prices are now assessed at 62-85 cents/lb ($1,367-1,874/tonne) FOB (free on board) US Gulf. IPA prices DEL (delivered) to the US Gulf are assessed at 64-90 cents/lb.

    DOMESTIC IPA MARKETS
    Until this week, prices in the US were increasing at much smaller rates than in Europe, generally in the range of 5 cents/lb or less. However, this week was a tipping point for the domestic marke. Isopropyl alcohol is used in many hand sanitizers, which are in high demand among consumers because of their ability to kill germs. Hand sanitizers were among the first products to sell out at grocery stores and pharmacies, but demand has increased since then. It was believed that the US was not seeing the level of IPA price increases as in Europe since it had more ethanol. However, due to the increase in US exports to Europe as well as the rapid rise domestic demand, supply of IPA was nevertheless overwhelmed. One market participant said many producers were on sales allocations, but this could not be confirmed.

    EXPORT MARKETS
    Last week, an export deal for Europe was heard at $1,350/tonne (61.24 cents/lb) CFR (cost and freight) Europe. Another was heard at $1,700/tonne CFR Europe. This week, prices for individual deals were heard for up to triple these numbers in Europe on imported IPA. However, these are not yet considered representative for the market. According to a market source, prices of exports to Asia in the past several days doubled, while another market participant said that Latin American demand began to heavily increase this week, but that there was almost no supply to provide to buyers there. Export prices now range from 57.52-95.00 cents/lb, although much higher individual spot prices were heard. IPA is a solvent principally used in industrial and consumer products including cosmetics and personal-care products, paints and resins, pharmaceuticals, food, inks and adhesives. It is also used in de-icers in the winter. US IPA suppliers include ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical, LyondellBasell, Monument Chemical and Shell Chemical.

    Ethanol Plants Seek Rule Changes To Resupply Hand Sanitizer
    By David Pitt Associated Press March 26, 2020

    DES MOINES, Iowa -- As hospitals and nursing homes desperately search for hand sanitizer, federal regulators are preventing ethanol producers from providing millions of gallons of alcohol that could be transformed into the germ-killing mixture. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's roadblock has been frustrating the health care and ethanol industries, which have been calling for a relaxed regulation to deal with the public health care emergency. “Hand sanitizer is a big part of our lives,” said Eric Barber, CEO of Mary Lanning Healthcare, a hospital in Hastings, Nebraska. “We can’t get any. We order it and it’s just not available.” The problem for the ethanol industry is that most plants make food-grade ethanol, one step below the highest pharmaceutical grade. But since the plants aren't certified to comply with stringent production standards designed to protect quality of medicines, food ingredients and dietary supplements, the FDA doesn't want the alcohol used for a product to be applied to the skin. In addition, the alcohol is not denatured or mixed with a bitter additive to make it undrinkable. The FDA insists this step is “critical” because of cases of poisoning, sometimes fatal, among young children who have accidentally ingested hand sanitizers. An FDA spokesman said Thursday that regulators have already seen a rise in poisonings linked to hand sanitizers in recent weeks, “heightening this public concern.” The FDA is also skeptical of industry claims that undenatured sanitizers could be distributed in a way that would keep them away from children. “It is unclear what, if any, measure could be instituted to ensure that the product does not make its way into consumer hands, where children could have access,” FDA’s Jeremy Kahn said in an emailed statement. Facing a nationwide shortage, Barber said the FDA should temporarily relax regulations to allow alternative production. “You’re talking about alcohol. Does it matter if it's fuel grade or whatever the stuff is they’re trying to price gouge now? I think its common sense,” he said. “We may need to consider a range of possible solutions that were not on the table before the pandemic,” said Nancy Foster, a vice president with the group, in an emailed statement to the AP. The Consumer Brands Association, formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association, has had conversations with the FDA to push the agency to reconsider its guidelines. The group, which represents branded food, consumer products and beverage companies, said that hand sanitizer supplies are running so low that its members have had to ration it out to workers in stores, distribution centers and manufacturing plants. "We need a temporary solution," said Mike Gruber, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs at the trade association. “This goes toward ensuring basic food safety practices.” Distillers that produce vodka, whisky and other alcoholic drinks have been given some regulatory waivers by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau allowing them to produce hand sanitizer. Many have done that, but they produce much smaller volumes of alcohol than an ethanol plant could produce. They also receive a benefit in the Senate-passed stimulus bill. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, which represents dozens of large and small distillers, applauded Congress for easing taxes on distillers who make hand sanitizer. Under the stimulus package passed late Wednesday, distillers don’t have to pay federal excise taxes on alcohol used for hand sanitizer through Jan. 1, 2021. “Hundreds of U.S. distillers are stepping up to produce hand sanitizer and they should not be hit with a huge tax bill for producing this much-needed item, especially at a time when so many of them are struggling,” said Chris Swonger, the group’s president and CEO. But the council said it’s urging the FDA to update its guidance and let distillers use undenatured alcohol for hand sanitizer. The stimulus bill requires distillers to follow the FDA’s guidance if they want to receive the tax breaks. The FDA has waived dozens of regulations in recent weeks to boost production of key medical supplies, including virus tests, ventilators, gloves and hand sanitizers. Under the latest FDA guidelines, regulators maintain standards for alcohol, requiring new producers to use alcohol that meets federal or international standards for use in either drugs or food products. The regulatory hurdles are especially frustrating for Midwest ethanol producers who are facing plunging fuel demand and a petroleum fight between Saudi Arabia and Russia that caused prices to plummet. The factors are forcing more plants to curtail production and close. For ethanol producers relaxed rules, including a requirement of the hard-to-acquire denaturant, would allow them to step in an help in a national emergency. “If we could get the FDA to say yes you can use the beverage grade and for the duration of this emergency at least for some point in time here for the next two weeks you can waive the denaturant we would literally have millions of gallons of hand sanitizer available within a matter of days,” said Monte Shaw, CEO of Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, an ethanol trade group. “Every one of our plants has gotten contacted by people who want this stuff and we can’t send it to them.” Andrew Vrbas owner of Pacha Soap, a boutique soap shop in Hastings, Nebraska, had just finished renovating a 100,000-square-foot former bread factory as a project to boost the community. Now, he’s preparing to set up hand sanitizer production there to supply to hospitals. He’s received calls from hospitals in Nebraska, Florida and New York City seeking hand sanitizer. “We are literally three miles from a plant that has as much ethanol as you could imagine,” he said. “We’re sitting on millions of gallons of alcohol. If we could rally the federal government to say look if you just let us work with local ethanol producers we have the expertise, we have the ability to provide hand sanitizer to hospitals not only in Nebraska but all across the country that are just reaching out through my network saying if you could send us hand sanitizer, we’re out.”

    A Plan To Ease The Hand Sanitizer Shortage Could Go Bust
    By Parija Kavilanz and Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Business
    May 1, 2020

    A big plan to get more hand sanitizer into stores is in serious jeopardy. Panic shopping and hoarding of hand sanitizer during the pandemic has made it nearly impossible to find any in stores. Families are turning to YouTube tutorials to make their own. The unusual circumstances of the pandemic surfaced a possible solution to easing the sanitizer shortage: ethanol. With much of America abiding by stay-at-home orders, driving is no longer the country's favorite pastime. This has substantially freed up biofuel ethanol that is produced for car fuel. Spotting opportunity and market need, many ethanol producers had started to repurpose parts of their factories to transition from making ethanol for fuel to producing the alcohol used in hand sanitizers. All that effort could be for naught after the government raised concerns about the quality and safety of the alcohol. On April 15, the US Food and Drug Administration, in an updated guidance for alcohol production from ethanol, pointed to a specific issue: It may be toxic. "One concern with impurities data submitted by some fuel ethanol companies is the unacceptable levels of known carcinogens (cancer causing agents), such as benzene, as well as formulas containing gasoline," the FDA said in a statement. The FDA said these concerns were brought to light by the hand sanitizer industry and pharmacies, sounding the alarm about "potentially harmful impurities" in the alcohol produced at ethanol plants. Ethanol industry leaders say their alcohol is safe. "The FDA is moving the goalposts again and their actions this time could shut off a key source of alcohol for hand sanitizer production, significantly exacerbating the worldwide shortage of hand sanitizer," said Geoff Cooper, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. Cooper said customers who have already used ethanol-based hand sanitizer have not raised any concerns. The FDA's ruling could potentially be catastrophic for ethanol producers, which have seen the market for the plant-based fuel evaporate. The government's decision "is extremely frustrating," said Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol, which represents farmer-owned ethanol production. Making alcohol for hand sanitizers was an opportunity for some producers to still keep the lights on, Jennings said. "No ethanol producer would ever knowingly blend carcinogens with the alcohol they're producing for sanitizers," said Jennings. GOJO Industries, maker of Purell and the leading hand sanitizer manufacturer, sided with the FDA's new guidance. "We support the FDA guidance because product formulation of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer matters for both efficacy and safety," said GOJO Industries in a statement to CNN Business.