I am posting this, in the hopes that it offers a better understanding of chemical composition and purity among the various grades.
Please understand that this is only a rough guide, and you should use caution where possible, and avoid using anything you are unsure of.
My Disclaimer:
These are the facts as I know them. I am not the law, not a lawyer, and this is not a definitive publication or journal of facts. Research, consult legal counsel, and use judgement with anything you read. This text is only offered as an insightful guide, and I will correct what I can, if it is incorrect.
When it comes to raw chemicals, there are levels of regulation that are required for some things, and not required for others. This is a general outline of the various grades, in relation to purity and concentration.
Chemicals are not equal. Even chemicals of the same label can have various contents. Many people are familiar with the chemical "Alcohol", and realize how general the word is to the actual contents.
For instance... Using "Alcohol" as the comparison.
There is "Drinking alcohol", "Rubbing alcohol", "Medical alcohol", "Fuel alcohol", and "Pure alcohol".
Governments and special groups have created a set of standards to generally outline the USE, PRODUCTION, SAFETY, REACTIVITY, and IMPURITY of labeled chemicals sold throughout the world. These "Grades", help to identify what certain chemicals can and can-not be used for. Some chemicals have multiple grades, while some of the same content, may have separate grades.
The specific grading associations I am aware of, are these...
- USP (United States Pharmacopeia "FDA")
- BP (British Pharmacopeia)
- EP (European Pharmacopeia)
- ACS (American Chemical Society)
- ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
- NMR or HPLC (Research private grades)
The specific grades I am aware of, are these...
- No grade (Raw, unregulated, may require testing for use.)
- Industrial grade (For use with non-living devices, or for refinement.)
- Cosmetic grade (For exterior, temporary use only, within limits.)
- Animal grade (For non-human animal consumption, within limits.)
- Food grade (For human consumption, within limits, low quality.)
- Pharmaceutical grade (For human consumption, within limits, high quality.)
- Medical grade (For medical use, with specific applications, required quality.)
For instance, "Drinking alcohol", might be "Food grade", but it can also be, "Pharmaceutical grade", and/or "Medical grade". It would never be "Animal grade", as it is not allowed for normal animal consumption. It would never be "Cosmetic grade", as it is not allowed for dermal application. It would never be "Industrial grade", as that is unrefined. It would never be "No grade", because that is against the law. (Moonshine is "No grade".)
In comparison, unrefined alcohol may be called "Pure alcohol", which may later be refined into "Drinking alcohol". It would then have the appropriate label, even though, technically they are still the same chemical. One has just been refined through an approved process that ensures most of the potential harmful contents are removed, if any existed. (It may have been fine before refinement, but it could have contained heavy metals, too much water, not enough water, undesired gasses, toxins, etc...)
Now, that "Pure alcohol" (Moonshine), would be ready for sale as "Drinking alcohol", since it has gone through a certified process and testing, etc... It can be sold to a consumer as a "Food grade" item.
However, this item can not be used for, say... cleaning the wound of a medical patient, or used as a carrier-agent within a bottled drug that is sold in a pharmacy. It would have to go through another separate process, and in the case of "Medical grade", it has to go through a very specific approved process, and refined down to 99.99% "Free of all reactive agents, for the desired specific use." While the "Pharmaceutical grade", may only have to be 99.1% or 85.0% or 10.0% free from reactive agents, in order to be sold for the general or specific described use.
In any event, the "Food grade", is a specific use, just not a "Medical specific use", or a "Pharmaceutical specific use". Consumption of food is normally accepted as an oral entrance to the stomach and intestinal tract. As opposed to a "Nicotine patch", which is consumed dermally, or a "Nasal spray", which is consumed through the nose, throat and lungs.
The "Pharmaceutical grade", may or may-not have a specific use outlined, but it will indicate purity and known reactivity for that purity or processing. Most pharmaceutical grade chemicals are used in small doses, or specific doses, for short periods of time, or long periods of time. The directions indicate use for that level of processing, not the processing itself. Not all pharmaceutical grade items require a prescription, or a doctors care, but many do require those additional restrictions for use. The package would indicate the appropriate use and restrictions.
The "Medical grade", will have a specific use, refinement level, dose, treatment time, etc... This does not indicate purity, only the desired purity for the specific application. "Rubbing alcohol", if it were a medical grade, might have only 10% purity, or it could be 100% purity, depending on the described specific use. Most medical grade items are used under a doctors care, or only administered by a doctor. The "Rubbing alcohol" you have at home, may be one-in-the-same, or it may be some super-expensive non-reactive version that only a hospital doctor can use on you.
Industrial grade, no grade, cosmetic grade, animal grade, and medical grade should not be used for anything you sell, unless you are licensed to sell those items, have the appropriate testing and records, and can defend yourself form vicious international lawyers.
Food grade and Pharmaceutical grade, are the only two potentially safe grades to use for anything mixed and sold for human consumption. (Consumption is not only done through the mouth. You consume through skin, glands, ducts, pores, etc... Consume is just a way to describe "whole absorption". As opposed to cosmetic absorption, which is partial, and only tested dermally, in most instances.)
Any consumable grade, will be devoid of most dangerous toxins, or have specific limitations of use with the level of known contained toxins. Pharmaceutical grade is usually a higher purity than Food grade. Food grade is also usually a lower concentration, and often able to be consumed in larger quantity, and for a longer period of time. (Many pharmaceutical items can be consumed for long periods, but usually state any limits. Foods do not usually state limits.)
FYI: For non-prescription chemicals, that are not regulated, you should be able to ask any pharmacist to order them for you. They don't only sell prescription chemicals behind the counter. Some things just don't sell fast enough to purchase and store on the shelves. Some things they don't want certain people to purchase without recording the buyers name, since there is potential for abuse of many chemicals. (Like ones used to manufacture some drugs, or for processing certain drugs.)
Please understand that this is only a rough guide, and you should use caution where possible, and avoid using anything you are unsure of.
My Disclaimer:
These are the facts as I know them. I am not the law, not a lawyer, and this is not a definitive publication or journal of facts. Research, consult legal counsel, and use judgement with anything you read. This text is only offered as an insightful guide, and I will correct what I can, if it is incorrect.
When it comes to raw chemicals, there are levels of regulation that are required for some things, and not required for others. This is a general outline of the various grades, in relation to purity and concentration.
Chemicals are not equal. Even chemicals of the same label can have various contents. Many people are familiar with the chemical "Alcohol", and realize how general the word is to the actual contents.
For instance... Using "Alcohol" as the comparison.
There is "Drinking alcohol", "Rubbing alcohol", "Medical alcohol", "Fuel alcohol", and "Pure alcohol".
Governments and special groups have created a set of standards to generally outline the USE, PRODUCTION, SAFETY, REACTIVITY, and IMPURITY of labeled chemicals sold throughout the world. These "Grades", help to identify what certain chemicals can and can-not be used for. Some chemicals have multiple grades, while some of the same content, may have separate grades.
The specific grading associations I am aware of, are these...
- USP (United States Pharmacopeia "FDA")
- BP (British Pharmacopeia)
- EP (European Pharmacopeia)
- ACS (American Chemical Society)
- ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
- NMR or HPLC (Research private grades)
The specific grades I am aware of, are these...
- No grade (Raw, unregulated, may require testing for use.)
- Industrial grade (For use with non-living devices, or for refinement.)
- Cosmetic grade (For exterior, temporary use only, within limits.)
- Animal grade (For non-human animal consumption, within limits.)
- Food grade (For human consumption, within limits, low quality.)
- Pharmaceutical grade (For human consumption, within limits, high quality.)
- Medical grade (For medical use, with specific applications, required quality.)
For instance, "Drinking alcohol", might be "Food grade", but it can also be, "Pharmaceutical grade", and/or "Medical grade". It would never be "Animal grade", as it is not allowed for normal animal consumption. It would never be "Cosmetic grade", as it is not allowed for dermal application. It would never be "Industrial grade", as that is unrefined. It would never be "No grade", because that is against the law. (Moonshine is "No grade".)
In comparison, unrefined alcohol may be called "Pure alcohol", which may later be refined into "Drinking alcohol". It would then have the appropriate label, even though, technically they are still the same chemical. One has just been refined through an approved process that ensures most of the potential harmful contents are removed, if any existed. (It may have been fine before refinement, but it could have contained heavy metals, too much water, not enough water, undesired gasses, toxins, etc...)
Now, that "Pure alcohol" (Moonshine), would be ready for sale as "Drinking alcohol", since it has gone through a certified process and testing, etc... It can be sold to a consumer as a "Food grade" item.
However, this item can not be used for, say... cleaning the wound of a medical patient, or used as a carrier-agent within a bottled drug that is sold in a pharmacy. It would have to go through another separate process, and in the case of "Medical grade", it has to go through a very specific approved process, and refined down to 99.99% "Free of all reactive agents, for the desired specific use." While the "Pharmaceutical grade", may only have to be 99.1% or 85.0% or 10.0% free from reactive agents, in order to be sold for the general or specific described use.
In any event, the "Food grade", is a specific use, just not a "Medical specific use", or a "Pharmaceutical specific use". Consumption of food is normally accepted as an oral entrance to the stomach and intestinal tract. As opposed to a "Nicotine patch", which is consumed dermally, or a "Nasal spray", which is consumed through the nose, throat and lungs.
The "Pharmaceutical grade", may or may-not have a specific use outlined, but it will indicate purity and known reactivity for that purity or processing. Most pharmaceutical grade chemicals are used in small doses, or specific doses, for short periods of time, or long periods of time. The directions indicate use for that level of processing, not the processing itself. Not all pharmaceutical grade items require a prescription, or a doctors care, but many do require those additional restrictions for use. The package would indicate the appropriate use and restrictions.
The "Medical grade", will have a specific use, refinement level, dose, treatment time, etc... This does not indicate purity, only the desired purity for the specific application. "Rubbing alcohol", if it were a medical grade, might have only 10% purity, or it could be 100% purity, depending on the described specific use. Most medical grade items are used under a doctors care, or only administered by a doctor. The "Rubbing alcohol" you have at home, may be one-in-the-same, or it may be some super-expensive non-reactive version that only a hospital doctor can use on you.
Industrial grade, no grade, cosmetic grade, animal grade, and medical grade should not be used for anything you sell, unless you are licensed to sell those items, have the appropriate testing and records, and can defend yourself form vicious international lawyers.
Food grade and Pharmaceutical grade, are the only two potentially safe grades to use for anything mixed and sold for human consumption. (Consumption is not only done through the mouth. You consume through skin, glands, ducts, pores, etc... Consume is just a way to describe "whole absorption". As opposed to cosmetic absorption, which is partial, and only tested dermally, in most instances.)
Any consumable grade, will be devoid of most dangerous toxins, or have specific limitations of use with the level of known contained toxins. Pharmaceutical grade is usually a higher purity than Food grade. Food grade is also usually a lower concentration, and often able to be consumed in larger quantity, and for a longer period of time. (Many pharmaceutical items can be consumed for long periods, but usually state any limits. Foods do not usually state limits.)
FYI: For non-prescription chemicals, that are not regulated, you should be able to ask any pharmacist to order them for you. They don't only sell prescription chemicals behind the counter. Some things just don't sell fast enough to purchase and store on the shelves. Some things they don't want certain people to purchase without recording the buyers name, since there is potential for abuse of many chemicals. (Like ones used to manufacture some drugs, or for processing certain drugs.)
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