why does the sterilisation efficacy of alcohol max. out at around

>>8940921
lol i don't know

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>>8940921
wat.
why did you have to make a distinction between the organism?
In each organism, as long as the protein denatures, the organism's as good as dead.
Increasing the concentration would inevitably kill the organism, so long as it does not display extremophilic characteristics.

>>8940927
What. Alcohol has been shown to be less efficient once its concentration increases past 91% with water or so.

I'm a lowly organic chemist so I have no idea why this occurs and why 96-100% alcohol isn't as effective at killing bacteria and viruses compared to 90% with water.

Also, it was my belief gram-negative was easiest for membrane destruction whereas some viruses can actually survive a full wash in 91% alcohol.

>>8940931
this guy is just spouting words he heard in a documentary

>>8941007
I'm spouting words I heard in my bio classes that I got like Cs in.

Anyway. Why.

I'm guessing that after 91% it can't physically dissolve the cell membrane any better.

i remember a prof telling us why but fuck if i remember the why, he said it in a "here's an interesting tidbit" kind of tone

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water solubility nigga

>>8941206
>>8941129
is it really that simple?

>>8940921
you need the water (around 30% btw.) to get the EtOH into the cells

>>8942502
the cell membrane consits of hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic regions