                                                                            TBS/CDC 16(6638 ) P3 
 ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                                                                                   First Edition 20 20 
  
            DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
Methylated spirit 70% for medical use  - Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TBS/CDC 16(6638 ) P2 
 
 ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                                                                                   First Edition 20 20 
  
 
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 Foreword  
 
This Draft Tanzania Standard is being developed by the Pharmaceuticals  Technical 
Committee under supervision of the Chemicals Divisional Standards Committee and 
it is in accordance with the procedures of the Bureau.  
This Draft Tanzania Standard has been prepared with assistance drawn from:  
 
           TZS 2530:2019 Ethanol for i ndustrial use -Specification  
           British Pharmacopoeia and United States Pharmacopoeia  Edition 2019  
 
In reporting the test results of a test or analysis made in accordance with this 
standard, if final value, calculated or observed is to be rounded of f, it shall be done in 
accordance with TZS 4  Rounding off numerical values . 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TBS/CDC 16(6638 ) P2 
 
 ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                                                                                   First Edition 20 20 
  
 
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Introduction  
 
Methylated spirit  (Denatured alcohol ) 70% , also named denatured rectified spirit, is 
ethanol that has additives to make it  poisonous, extremely bad tasting, foul smelling 
or nauseating, to discourage recreational consumption.  Generally methylated spirit 
70% is a bactericidal hospital grade disinfectant . 
 
It is suitable for general purpose disinfection and cleaning of surfaces , shining glass, 
stainless steel and various equipment. It is not used on therapeutic Devices.  
Methylated  spirit is mostly used in hospitals for rubbing skin before injection, in  
barber shops and hair cutting saloons for disinfection of hair cutting equipm ent’s  and 
in provision of first aid in sports activities.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TBS/CDC 16(6638 ) P2 
 
 ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                                                                                   First Edition 20 20 
  
 
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 DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD                                TBS/CDC 16(6638 ) P2 
 
 
Methylated spirit  70% for medical use  - Specification  
 
 
1. Scop e 
 
This Draft Tanzania Standard specifies  requirements , methods of sampling and test 
of Methylated spirit  70% to be used as  Medical  disinfectant , Cosmetics  and Solvent . 
It does not apply to material for Industrial  and food purposes.  
 
 
2. Normative references  
 
The follo wing documents are referred in the text in such a way that some or all of 
their content constitutes  requirements of this document. For dated references, only 
the edition cited applies. For undated references,  the latest edition of the referenced 
document ( including any amendments) applies.  
 
2.1 Standards  
 
TZS 470 Tables for alcoholometry  
 
2.2 Other documents  
 
British Pharmacopoeia  (BP) 
United States Pharmacopoeia  (USP)  
 
3. Terms and definitions  
Denaturant  
toxic or foul -smelling substance added to alcohol t o make it unfit for drinking  
 
4. Requirements  
 
4.1 General requirements  
The material  shall consist of spirits (essentially ethanol, C 2H5OH and water) to which 
a denaturant  (such as wood naphtha) has been added. It shall be coloured purple  
and free from ma tter in suspension, as assessed by visual inspection .  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
The material shall comply with the specific requirements in Table 1 when tested as 
per methods specified.  
 
 
 TBS/CDC 16(6638 ) P2 
 
 ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                                                                                   First Edition 20 20 
  
 
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Table 1: Requirements  for methylated spirit  70%  
 
S/N Charac teristics  Requirements  Method of Test  
1. Appearance  Purple  ISO 2211  
2 Odour  Alcoholic  Report  
3. Density, in air at 20 ⁰C, g/mL  0.8858- 0.8880  TZS 470  
4. Ethan olic strength, % (v/v)  69-71 BP/ USP  
5. Miscibility with water ( ethanol: 
water ), 1: 19 (v/v)   No opalescence   BP/USP  
6. Acidity (as CH 3COOH), % (m/m), 
max 0.005   BP/USP  
7. Residue s on evaporation, % 
(m/m), max 0.01  BP/USP  
8. Carbonyl compounds content, (as 
acetaldehydes), % (m/m)  max 0.10  BP/USP  
9. Alkalinity   Negative   BP/USP  
 
5. Sampling  
The material shall be sampled according to the method specified in BP or USP.  
 
6. Packing  and labelling  
 
6.1 Packaging  
The material shall be supplied in clean, dry and tight containers, without faults, made 
of material which does not react with  alcohol. Th e method of closing the containers 
shall prevent the contents from contamination and evaporation.  
 
6.2 Labelling  
Each container shall bear the following information  given in prominent, legible and 
durable labelling:  
a) Manufacturer’s name.  
b) Recognized trade mark, if any.  
c) Name of the material  as “Methylated Spirit 70%”  
d) Nominal volume  
e) Nominal value for material strength.  
f) Batch number.  
g) Manufacturing date  
h) Pictorial symbols to show flammability and toxicity nature.  
 
7. Storage  
The material shall be s tored in suitable container  which shall not affect integrity of the 
product in terms of quality.  
  
 
 
 
 TBS/CDC 16(6638 ) P2 
 
 ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                                                                                   First Edition 20 20 
  
 
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Bibliography  
 
 
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/denaturant  
 
BS 3591: 1985 Specification for industrial methylated spirits  published by British 
Standards  Institution.  
 
 