Definition
Pharmacy mainly sells medicinal gasoline PH (wound gasoline) and gasoline for stain removal (spot gasoline). The quality of medicinal gasoline is prescribed by pharmacopoeia. It is a purified mixture of saturated hydrocarbons, mainly with 6 and 7 carbon atoms (hexane and heptane, PH). Stain water is not the same as stain gasoline and contains different organic solvents or other components depending on the manufacturer. Light petrol: according to boiling point and composition, a distinction is made between light petrols, heavy petrols and lacquer petrols. Medicinal gasoline belongs to the light gasolines. Pure gasoline is a purified gasoline. For medical purposes, medical gasoline can be dispensed, and for technical purposes, gasoline for stain removal can be dispensed. Petroleum ether (petroleum gasoline) is similar in composition to medical gasoline. It is a light gasoline and consists of saturated hydrocarbons with low boiling point such as pentane and hexane. It is used primarily as a solvent. The name is confusing: petroleum ether is not chemically an ether, but a mixture of alkanes (!)
Applications
- For stain removal
- As a solvent and extraction agent
- To degrease the skin, e.g. before application of a patch.
- To remove plaster residues on the skin, to remove resins.
Adverse effects
Fire hazard, poisoning hazard, explosion hazard. Under no circumstances should gasoline be filled into the fondue chaud instead of methylated spirits (risk of explosion)! However, it can be used for special gasoline lamps or gasoline stoves.