Final answer:
Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) are widely used in skin antisepsis, typically in a 70% aqueous solution, which is effective in denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alcohols, such as ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol), are commonly used in skin antisepsis due to their ability to rapidly denature proteins and disrupt cell membranes. These alcohols are typically used in concentrations around 70% as this allows for effective penetration and denaturation of proteins within microbial cells. The higher water content in this concentration aids in the coagulation process, making them more effective than pure, 100% alcohol solutions.
Moreover, these alcohols are effective against a broad range of vegetative microbes and are found in products like hand sanitizers, which often contain 60% to 80% ethanol or isopropanol. While they are volatile and not sporicidal, alcohols are efficient for swift disinfection, and their utility extends to making tinctures with other antiseptics, like iodine. However, they can cause skin dehydration.
In summary, ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol remain widely used in antiseptic solutions for skin antisepsis due to their efficacy, although care must be taken with their applications due to their volatility and potential for skin irritation.