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Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. In this context, consider the following statements:
1.  Alcohol-based sanitizers kill bacteria by raising the temperature of the latter and vaporizing it.
2. In healthcare, methyl alcohol is added to ethyl alcohol (used in alcoholic beverages) for better bactericidal action.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
  • a)
    1 only
  • b)
    2 only
  • c)
    Both 1 and 2
  • d)
    Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. I...
  • In the healthcare setting, “alcohol” refers to two water-soluble chemical compounds—ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol—that have generally underrated germicidal characteristics. These alcohols are rapidly bactericidal (bacteria-killing) rather than bacteriostatic (which stops bacteria from reproducing or multiplying) against vegetative forms of bacteria; they also are tuberculocidal, fungicidal, and virucidal but do not destroy bacterial spores. Their cidal activity drops sharply when diluted below 50% concentration, and the optimum bactericidal concentration is 60%-90% solutions in water (volume/volume). Methyl alcohol (methanol) has the weakest bactericidal action of the alcohol and thus seldom is used in healthcare. Also, methanol is highly toxic, and severe systemic toxicity and even deaths can occur after oral, pulmonary and/or skin exposures. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
  • The most feasible explanation for the antimicrobial action of alcohol (or alcohol-based sanitizers) is the denaturation of proteins. This mechanism is supported by the observation that absolute ethyl alcohol, a dehydrating agent, is less bactericidal than mixtures of alcohol and water because proteins are denatured more quickly in the presence of water. In simple words, Ethyl alcohol (also called ethanol) kills bacteria by dissociating/dissolving (and not vaporize) the bacteria's cellular membrane. The way ethanol dissolves a cell membrane is by having one end that dissolves well in water (the one with the OH) and the other end that dissolves well in fatty/greasy like substances (the end with the CH2CH3). Bacteria cell membranes are like water on the outside and like fat on the inside, so when you apply ethanol to a cell membrane, instead of all the parts of the membrane sticking together, they'll associate with the ethanol causing the membrane to fall apart. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. I...
  • In the healthcare setting, “alcohol” refers to two water-soluble chemical compounds—ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol—that have generally underrated germicidal characteristics. These alcohols are rapidly bactericidal (bacteria-killing) rather than bacteriostatic (which stops bacteria from reproducing or multiplying) against vegetative forms of bacteria; they also are tuberculocidal, fungicidal, and virucidal but do not destroy bacterial spores. Their cidal activity drops sharply when diluted below 50% concentration, and the optimum bactericidal concentration is 60%-90% solutions in water (volume/volume). Methyl alcohol (methanol) has the weakest bactericidal action of the alcohol and thus seldom is used in healthcare. Also, methanol is highly toxic, and severe systemic toxicity and even deaths can occur after oral, pulmonary and/or skin exposures. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
  • The most feasible explanation for the antimicrobial action of alcohol (or alcohol-based sanitizers) is the denaturation of proteins. This mechanism is supported by the observation that absolute ethyl alcohol, a dehydrating agent, is less bactericidal than mixtures of alcohol and water because proteins are denatured more quickly in the presence of water. In simple words, Ethyl alcohol (also called ethanol) kills bacteria by dissociating/dissolving (and not vaporize) the bacteria's cellular membrane. The way ethanol dissolves a cell membrane is by having one end that dissolves well in water (the one with the OH) and the other end that dissolves well in fatty/greasy like substances (the end with the CH2CH3). Bacteria cell membranes are like water on the outside and like fat on the inside, so when you apply ethanol to a cell membrane, instead of all the parts of the membrane sticking together, they'll associate with the ethanol causing the membrane to fall apart. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
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Community Answer
Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. I...
  • In the healthcare setting, “alcohol” refers to two water-soluble chemical compounds—ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol—that have generally underrated germicidal characteristics. These alcohols are rapidly bactericidal (bacteria-killing) rather than bacteriostatic (which stops bacteria from reproducing or multiplying) against vegetative forms of bacteria; they also are tuberculocidal, fungicidal, and virucidal but do not destroy bacterial spores. Their cidal activity drops sharply when diluted below 50% concentration, and the optimum bactericidal concentration is 60%-90% solutions in water (volume/volume). Methyl alcohol (methanol) has the weakest bactericidal action of the alcohol and thus seldom is used in healthcare. Also, methanol is highly toxic, and severe systemic toxicity and even deaths can occur after oral, pulmonary and/or skin exposures. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
  • The most feasible explanation for the antimicrobial action of alcohol (or alcohol-based sanitizers) is the denaturation of proteins. This mechanism is supported by the observation that absolute ethyl alcohol, a dehydrating agent, is less bactericidal than mixtures of alcohol and water because proteins are denatured more quickly in the presence of water. In simple words, Ethyl alcohol (also called ethanol) kills bacteria by dissociating/dissolving (and not vaporize) the bacteria's cellular membrane. The way ethanol dissolves a cell membrane is by having one end that dissolves well in water (the one with the OH) and the other end that dissolves well in fatty/greasy like substances (the end with the CH2CH3). Bacteria cell membranes are like water on the outside and like fat on the inside, so when you apply ethanol to a cell membrane, instead of all the parts of the membrane sticking together, they'll associate with the ethanol causing the membrane to fall apart. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
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Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. In this context, consider the following statements:1. Alcohol-based sanitizers kill bacteria by raising the temperature of the latter and vaporizing it.2. In healthcare, methyl alcohol is added to ethyl alcohol (used in alcoholic beverages) for better bactericidal action.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 onlyb)2 onlyc)Both 1 and 2d)Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. In this context, consider the following statements:1. Alcohol-based sanitizers kill bacteria by raising the temperature of the latter and vaporizing it.2. In healthcare, methyl alcohol is added to ethyl alcohol (used in alcoholic beverages) for better bactericidal action.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 onlyb)2 onlyc)Both 1 and 2d)Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2024 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. In this context, consider the following statements:1. Alcohol-based sanitizers kill bacteria by raising the temperature of the latter and vaporizing it.2. In healthcare, methyl alcohol is added to ethyl alcohol (used in alcoholic beverages) for better bactericidal action.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 onlyb)2 onlyc)Both 1 and 2d)Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Antiseptic properties of alcohol have been known for many centuries. In this context, consider the following statements:1. Alcohol-based sanitizers kill bacteria by raising the temperature of the latter and vaporizing it.2. In healthcare, methyl alcohol is added to ethyl alcohol (used in alcoholic beverages) for better bactericidal action.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 onlyb)2 onlyc)Both 1 and 2d)Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
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