For today's WIYWW, we'll be talking about a chemical compound that you probably have sitting in a cabinet at your house right now! Isopropanol, also known as isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol, is a colorless, flammable, and has a lot of common uses. It is used as a solvent, in medical disinfectant pads, as a fuel additive, and as a non-toxic alternative to formaldehyde for lab specimen preservation.
It is also used in fracking fluid mixtures as a corrosion-inhibitor, non-emulsifier, and surfactant. Surfactants are used to reduce the surface tension between the fluid and oil to maximize the amount of oil extracted from a well. Non-emulsifiers are used to separate water and oil mixtures, and corrosion-inhibitors protect the well casing from other ingredients in the fracking fluid, like corrosive acids.
Although it's a common household item, you wouldn't want it seeping into your drinking water. Poisoning can result from breathing, swallowing, or absorbing it through the skin. Symptoms of isopropanol poisoning include dizziness, headache, nausea, central nervous system depression, and coma. It can have harmful effects on the respiratory, cardiovascular, and urinary tracts as well. It can also have adverse effects on the female reproductive system, female fertility, and fetal development according to animal studies.
If you are concerned about contaminants entering your drinking water supply due to fracking-related activity near your home, find out how you can get a homeowner report at www.fractest.com. With a homeowner report you can monitor wells within a mile of your home and receive real-time data alerts. As always, the Fractest Platform Blog aims to educate our readers on the potential hazards of chemicals found in fracking fluid. Thanks for reading and be sure to subscribe for free by entering your email on the right side of the homepage!
