CHECK Magazin - Gesundheitsmagazin für Männer No.9

ENGLISH
Society
THE GENIE
OH
FROM
THE
BOTTLE
OH
OCH 3
Are you easily tempted? A nightcap, an after-work drink, the communion chalice
or a toast to absent friends: the consumption of alcohol is part of many social and
cultural occasions.
CH 3
OH
FOTO: Scopio / ADOBE STOCK
In order to take a sober look at all this, we
should reactivate our school knowledge:
alcohols are organic compounds that have
one or more hydroxyl groups (as we know
them from water) bonded to different aliphatic
hydrocarbon atoms.
Depending on the number of their carbon
atoms, alcohols can appear as anything from
simple to aromatic and from liquid to solid
and it is impossible to imagine our everyday
life without them.
Here is a quick rundown of the three types of
alcohols:
◊
◊
◊
Methanol (CH 3
-OH): with 1 carbon atom
Ethanol (C 2
H 5
-OH): with 2 carbon atoms
Propanol (C 3
H 7
OH) and isopropanol:
each with 3 carbon atoms
Starting with the most simple one with 1
carbon atom, Methanol is quite notorious
causing deaths due to adulterated alcohol.
One step up is Ethanol with 2 carbon atoms.
Due to its property of being able to dissolve
both hydrophilic (water-soluble) and hydrophobic
(water-insoluble) substances, it is one
of the most important solvents of all, because
fats, resins, varnishes and oils as well as dyes
can be dissolved in it. In the manufacture of
medicines, it is also used as a solvent for the
active ingredients and excipients and, due
to its bacteriostatic effect, it is also used in
preservative-free preparations.
OH
The most complex with 3 carbon atoms,
propanol (C 3
H 7
OH) and isopropanol have a
special odor of their own and are mostly used
as a cleaning agent and disinfectant.
48 CHECK BERLIN #9