Alcohol wipes 100 pieces

Alcohol wipes are laboratory consumables impregnated with an aqueous solution of 70% isopropanol, a chemically short, strongly polar secondary alcohol. In scientific research, isopropanol is studied as a model compound for the behavior of small alcohols at interfaces and is used as a reference fluid in analytical work. This product is offered as 100 individually sealed wipes, exclusively for laboratory and research purposes.

What are alcohol wipes?

The active component is propane-2-ol, a molecule of three carbon atoms with a hydroxyl group on the central carbon atom. Due to the combination of a small non-polar carbon tail and a strongly polar hydroxyl group, the compound is completely miscible with water and simultaneously capable of dissolving non-polar residues. This amphiphilic character explains why a 70% aqueous mixture behaves differently from the pure alcohol: the water reduces volatility and thereby prolongs the contact time on a surface. On reversed-phase columns, the compound exhibits little retention and serves not as an analyte but as a strong eluent and modifier of the mobile phase.

In research models, the mechanism behind the action of alcohols on protein and membrane structures is investigated in vitro. Isopropanol disrupts the hydrogen bond structure around dissolved proteins, causing the tertiary structure to unfold, and reduces the ordering of lipid bilayers in model membranes. The aqueous mixture is more effective in this regard than the pure alcohol, because water is required for the molecule to penetrate the hydrated outer layer of a structure. Consequently, isopropanol is used as a model compound and reference substance in scientific research.

Research areas

In a laboratory context, alcohol wipes and the active component isopropanol occur in the following research areas, among others:

• Research into the denaturation of proteins by short alcohols and the role of water content therein.
• Biophysical model studies on the influence of amphiphilic alcohols on the organization of lipid bilayers.
• Research into evaporation kinetics and surface tension of water-alcohol mixtures at different mixing ratios.
• Validation of decontamination procedures for work surfaces and instruments in a controlled laboratory environment.
• Analytical method development and validation (HPLC, GC-headspace) with isopropanol as eluent or reference fluid.
• Material compatibility research into the resistance of polymers and coatings to repeated contact with alcohol mixtures.

Each of these applications involves controlled laboratory or preclinical model research.

Alcohol wipes in our research range

Alcohol wipes fall under the category of laboratory consumables within our range: aids that support working with research compounds without being the subject of study themselves. While this item fulfills a physico-chemical function, namely dissolving and removing residues from a surface, other components within the same line have been selected to play a volumetric or mechanical role in the setup. They share the status of an aid but differ in composition and purpose.

Specifications

Shape, handling and storage

Each wipe consists of a non-woven carrier saturated with the water-alcohol mixture and individually sealed in an aluminium-laminated sachet; this seal limits evaporation, so that the mixing ratio is maintained. The wipes are intended for single use: cleaning work surfaces, the outside of laboratory glassware, and the septa and closures of analysis vials. After use, the alcohol evaporates within a short time; no residual surface film is to be expected.

Store the packaging dry at room temperature, protected from direct light and away from heat sources and open flames; the mixture is flammable. Do not use a sachet with a damaged seal, as the mixing ratio is then no longer defined. Handle the wipes with the usual laboratory precautions: ventilated, clean environment, suitable personal protective equipment, no contact with eyes, and out of reach of unauthorized persons.

Composition and lab results

For this article, the composition is expressed as the volume fraction of the active component, namely 70% isopropanol in demineralized water, rather than as a purity percentage of a solid.

You can find an overview of the available analytical documentation on our lab results page, where the reports are centrally collected.

Frequently Asked Questions

To which class of substances does the active component belong?
Propane-2-ol is a secondary aliphatic alcohol with three carbon atoms. It is not a peptide and therefore contains no amino acid sequence.

Why a mixture of 70% and not pure alcohol?
Water reduces volatility and prolongs contact time, and is necessary to allow the alcohol molecule to penetrate the hydrated outer layer of protein and membrane structures.

In what form are the wipes supplied?
As 100 individually sealed sachets per pack, each with one pre-impregnated single-use non-woven wipe.

How do I store the packaging?
Dry, at room temperature, protected from light and away from heat sources.