Question

Why is denatured alcohol not used for drinking?

Answer 1

Hint: Alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxyl group is bound with a saturated carbon atom. The primary alcohol(ethanol) is used as a drug. On the other hand, Denatured alcohol is used as a solvent or fuel for camping stove, alcohol burner etc.

Complete step by step answer:
The simplest alcohols are methanol and ethanol. Between these methanol can not be used for drinking purposes as it is poisonous for health. On the other hand, ethanol is used for drinking purposes as a drug.
Denatured alcohol is ethanol which has some poisonous additives. In the denatured alcohol the main additive is methyl alcohol with other additives like, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, methyl ethyl ketone etc. Due to this denatured alcohol is also known as methylated spirit. As methyl alcohol is poisonous for health denatured alcohol is not for drinking.
Despites its poisonous additive sometimes it is used as surrogate alcohol. Due to consumption of denatured alcohol results in blindness or death.
Due to all of these poisonous compounds of denatured alcohol it cannot be used for drinking purposes as it causes damage to the internal organs and tissues.

Note:
Surrogate alcohol is a term which means any substance which contains ethanol but is not meant for human consumption. Most surrogate alcohols have very high alcoholic levels, some as high as 95%, and thus can lead to alcohol poisoning along with other symptoms of alcohol abuse such as impaired coordination, balance and judgement, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and even long-term effects such as heart failure , stroke, and death.