Saying that isopropyl alchohol is like acetone is kind of like saying that water is like carbonic acid. Water reacts with calcium carbonate (calcite), which makes up about 40% of our Earth’s crust, and forms carbonic acid. This particular chemical reaction is very well known to people in the mining industry, as this reaction is known for weakening cave mouths and causing the mines to collapse. Irresponsible mining practices can cause major water acidification, which can cause eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. Now does that mean that water is bad or harmful? Absolutely not! In fact, even the carbonic acid, in small amounts, is safe and a natural part of our Earth’s natural processes. However too much can be extremely harmful to both humans and the environment.
There is one process for making isopropyl alcohol that involves acetone. The acetone is then chemically converted (changed on a molecular level) into isopropyl alcohol. Presumably there is very little acetone left in the final product, and manufacturers would strive to make this reaction perfect (no acetone left) because it is more cost-effective for the company. Of all of the research that I have done, this method seems to be the most environmentally friendly, but there is notably very little information on the sourcing of the acetone, which would be my concern with this process. This method also requires a metal like platinum, which raises questions about the mining processes involved with that. I don’t know how you would be able to tell which process was used, save for contacting the manufacturers directly.
The more common (much more common!) method for making isopropyl alcohol involves sulfuric acid, both as a catalyst, and as a byproduct. This raises the major question for me as to how they are producing the sulfuric acid, and how they are disposing of it. I have found precious little information on this topic which, to me, makes it suspect.
As the other users said, isopropyl alchohol is very safe, on its own, and is biodegradable. But my big question is, is the sourcing and disposal of the other chemicals involved (acetone and sulfuric acid) environmentally friendly? I have spent a lot of time researhing this because, frankly, I love isopropyl alcohol! It is a fantastic solvent, and I use it nearly everyday in my house. To date I have found no concrete answers on this, and this leads me to believe that the manufacturers may be hiding thier dirty little secrets about chemical diaposal. Maybe I am wrong, and I hope I am. If any other user has found more information on this, I would love to hear it!
I know that’s a lot of words just to say “I don’t know”, but I think all of this information is pertenant when trying to decide if isopropyl alchohol is eco-friendly. All of the sources that I have read focus solely on the isopropyl alcohol itself, and not all of the other chemicals involved. It leaves me frustrated and I am still on the fence as to wether or not I should use this chemical.
