A specially denatured alcohol (SDA) is one of many types of denatured alcohol specified under the US Code of Federal Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government of the United States.The CFR is published by the Office of the Federal Register, an agency...

 Title 27 Section 21.151. A specially denatured alcohol is a combination of ethanol

Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...

 and another chemical, e.g. ethyl acetate

Ethyl acetate

Ethyl acetate is the organic compound with the formula CH3COOCH2CH3. This colorless liquid has a characteristic sweet smell and is used in glues, nail polish removers, and cigarettes...

 in SDA 29, 35, and 35A

SD Alcohol 35-A

SD Alcohol 35-A is a specially denatured alcohol containing 95.38% ethanol and 4.62% ethyl acetate. Uses of SD Alcohol 35-A include as the solvent in spirit gum....

, added to render the mixture unsuitable for drinking. Often an SDA is used in cosmetic products but can also be used in chemical manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and solvents. The use of denatured, non-beverage suitable, alcohol in the USA avoids excise taxes on alcohol

External links

• "List of SDAs with denaturing chemical"