Specially Denatured Alcohol - SDA

Specially Denatured Alcohol (SDA’s) is Pure Ethanol that is rendered unfit for drinking purposes. Certain SDA’s have additives as well as denaturants. These additives are specific to each application. All SDA formulations and their intended use are determined and regulated by the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau).

Specially denatured alcohols are typically denatured at a level between 1-10%. Due to the minimum level of denaturant used in SDA’s, the TTB considers these products capable of being un-denatured. Since there is no Federal Excise Tax collected on SDA’s the TTB wants to be sure of the intended, legal application. This is the primary reason why all SDA’s require a permit for use, storage or resale.

Specially Denatured Alcohol’s are used in a wide variety of common products including personal care, flavor & fragrance and other industrial grade products. It is also used in laboratories, hospitals and research facilities. While SDA’s are not taxed, the customer must obtain proper permits from the TTB in order to use more than 5 gallons of denatured product in a one year period.

Capitol Scientific offers a wide selection of Specially Denatured Alcohols but does not offer certain formulas due to the carcinogenic nature of certain denaturants (i.e., Benzene, Glycol Ether EE, etc.) or extreme danger other hazardous denaturants may pose.