Rubbing alcohol, also called isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol, is a chemical compound closely related to ethanol, or drinking alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is used as a surface cleaner, a disinfectant and in removing water from the ears. While the compound is relatively nontoxic in low concentrations, and while the odor of rubbing alcohol in normal use doesn't cause any side effects, purposely concentrating and smelling rubbing alcohol has several dangerous side effects.
Irritation
One of rubbing alcohol's chemical properties that makes it so useful as a disinfectant and cleaning agent is that it's a desiccant--it dehydrates surfaces, tissues and cells. As such, liquid rubbing alcohol and its vapors are irritating to the skin, in particular to the mucous membranes, which can become dehydrated, sore, itchy and red if exposed to rubbing alcohol. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's guidelines for use of rubbing alcohol note that smelling the compound in large concentrations over long periods can irritate the lining of the eyes, nose, and throat. Depending upon the length of time that an individual smells rubbing alcohol, damage to the lungs is possible.
Cognitive Effects
Chemicals often pass easily from the respiratory tract into the bloodstream, and from there, they're rapidly transported to the brain. Like ethanol or drinking alcohol, isopropyl alcohol is a toxin, and affects brain cell function. OSHA guidelines for rubbing alcohol note that toxicology studies in humans show that smelling the alcohol in high concentrations or for a long period can lead to mental changes, including dizziness. In extreme cases, it's possible for individuals who have purposely smelled large amounts of rubbing alcohol to exhibit narcosis, or a drugged state as a result of having introduced large amounts of the toxin, according to OSHA.
Displacement of Oxygen
In addition to the effects of rubbing alcohol from the alcohol itself, effects are also possible from the displacement of oxygen in inhaled air. Humans depend upon oxygen in the atmosphere in order to survive, notes Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book, "Human Physiology." A breath of normal air contains about 21 percent oxygen. When individuals purposely replace normal atmospheric air with other substances, such as rubbing alcohol, and smell those substances repeatedly, they can go some length of time without bringing oxygen into the lungs. This begins to decrease blood oxygen concentration, and deprives the tissues of the oxygen they need to stay alive. Smelling rubbing alcohol in large concentrations for lengthy periods can lead to cellular suffocation.
References
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Isopropyl Alcohol Guidelines
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood; 2004
