DENATURED ALCOHOL AND CHLOROFORM

Question 1

What is denatured alcohol?

Answer 1

• Unsuitable for drinking
• Addition of denaturants
• Poisonous and unpalatable
• Cheaper than pure ethanol

Question 2

Uses of denatured alcohol

Answer 2

• Preserving specimens
• Preparing leather - ink and printing
• Toiletries and perfumes
• Fuel
• Industrial solvent

Question 3

Standard formulation of CDA

Answer 3

• 3 parts of isopropyl alcohol - chemical analytic marker
• 3 parts of methyl ethyl ketone - smelling agent
• 1g of denatonium benzoate - tasting agent
• Addition of methyl violet no longer mandatory

Question 4

Uses of CDA

Answer 4

• Heating
• Lighting
• Cleaning
• General domestic use

Question 5

Standard formulation of IDA

Answer 5

• 95 parts alcohol
• 5 parts wood naptha
• If substitute for wood naptha is used then may use less than 5 parts

Question 6

Uses of IDA

Answer 6

• Industrial
• Scientific or external medical applications
• In photography to clean lenses
• Darwin centre at natural history museum

Question 7

What is TSDA

Answer 7

• Trade specific denatured alcohol
• Needs to be approved by commissioners of HM Revenue and Customs to meet trade specific needs
• Currently 11 TSDA approved
• Cannot be obtained and supplied by community pharmacy

Question 8

Purchasing a CDA

Answer 8

• Pharmacy can obtain from wholesaler
• Can be supplied to customers
• No licence or authorisation required
• No restrictions on amount to purchase
• No conditions on its use

Question 9

Purchasing an IDA

Answer 9

• Person conducting retail pharmacy business must be authorised by HMRC
• Pharmacist must be an authorised user
• Copy of pharmacys authorisation is given to wholesaler when obtaining
• Authorised user may supply to another authorised user
• Pharmacist must hold a copy of users authorisation to obtain
• Pharmacist can supply quantities less than 20 litres at any one given time
• If valid prescription or supply order from medical or veterinary practitioner is given then recipient does not require the need to be an authorised user and there is ni limit on the amount of IDA supplied

Question 10

How to become an authorised user

Answer 10

• Application for authorisation to recieve and use IDA or TSDA needs to be completed
• Found on HMRC website
• In order to hold stock need to make entry of their premises with HMRC

Question 11

Storage of IDA and TSDA

Answer 11

Under lock and key under the control of the pharmacist or person responsible appointed by pharmacist

Question 12

Labelling of denatured alcohol

Answer 12

• All containers supplied or dispensed for medical use need to be labelled ‘ For external use only ‘ or ‘ Not to be taken ‘

Question 13

What is chloroform

Answer 13

• Used by criminals to knock out, daze or murder victims by inhalation
• Sale and supply of medicine products containing chloroform are prohibited except in some circumstances