22 June 2010

METHANOL - Stupid people drink

How not? Recently it was reported that already more than 20 people have died because of counterfeit and mixed drinks, and tens or even hundreds of others need treatment in hospital, and mentioned that the liquor contains 99% death of methanol.

Do not think the danger? If you want more "secure" a little, mending drinking ethanol, not methanol. What difference with methanol and ethanol? Of ethanol (or often known as alcohol), ethanol is having a kind of chemical solvents are flammable and are many compounds. In the world of pharmaceutical drugs are often used as a solvent or as an antiseptic / disinfectant. If the effect is, alcohol is often classified as "nervous system depressant." Type of alcoholic beverages are various, including beer, wine (wine), and liquor

What is the difference of ethanol and methanol?
Ethanol and methanol actually still have biological similarities, both groups of alcohol. What is different is its chemical formula, if it is C2H5OH ethanol, methanol has the formula CH3OH. And of course there are also attributes the difference, although too many similarities. Ethanol can be obtained from fermented fruit or grain, and consumed many alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, brandy or another. While methanol is generally not consumed as a beverage, because it is more toxic, and used as fuel. If you see the spirit who is blue, why methanol. Given color so that people can distinguish and do not use the wrong way.

What is methanol?
Methanol is a clear liquid, colorless, and is a flammable liquid. Methanol can be made by reacting hydrogen with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. Historically, he made from the distillation of wood, so is also called wood alcohol. Methanol is widely used as a starting material in the industrial manufacture of various chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetic acid, methacrylate, ethylene glycol, etc.. Methanol is also widely used as a windshield cleaning fluid, carburetor cleaner, antifreeze, copier toner, and fuel.

What harm to the health of methanol?
Methanol is easily absorbed by the body through a variety of route of administration (oral, inhalation, topical). In the liver (liver), methanol will be oxidized to formaldehyde (formalin) with the help of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase and then perform further metabolisir the formic acid by formaldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme. Changes of formaldehyde into formic acid is very rapid, with half-lives for 1-2 minutes, so not until the accumulation of formaldehyde in the body.

Formic acid then can be converted to 10-formiltetrahidrofolat that can happen metabolisir further into carbon dioxide as an effort to detoxify the body. Formic acid into the speed of change depends on the availability tetrahidrofolat metabolites in the liver. However, part-time formic acid in the body long enough, ie up to 20-24 hours. Formic acid is what will cause various toxic effects on the body.

Excretion of methanol from the body is relatively slow, with half-lives (T1 / 2) for 24 hours. Humans are more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol when compared with non-primate animals. Severity of methanol toxicity is more related to the degree of occurrence of metabolic acidosis rather than its concentration of methanol. This is because the reaction of methanol is determined by the speed of formation of formic acid in the body and its ability to detoxify the liver. Drinking methanol, although in small amounts, can be dangerous and cause serious health problems, including coma, seizures, and blindness, even death. Methanol is also toxic / poisonous if inhaled or exposed to the eyes, because it can damage eyesight.

There are significant variations in humans regarding the toxic dose and lethal dose (causing death) due to methanol. A study states that the minimum lethal dose is about 300-1000 mg / kg BW. There is another which states that the lethal dose from drinking methanol is about 15 ml of methanol 40%. There are more lethal OSIS reported for 500 ml of methanol 40%. Imagine those who drank methanol up to 99% concentration! Drink at least 40-10 mL of methanol can cause permanent blindness.

Below is described the phases of the toxic effects that could occur due to exposure to methanol

The first phase was the emphasis of the central nervous system. Can happen in 30 minutes-2 hours, intoxication can occur in a shorter duration than by ethanol intoxication

The second phase is asymptomatic latent phase, following the central nervous system depression: Within 48 hours after drinking, the patient may not show signs of poisoning, although the symptoms may vary individually.

The third phase of severe metabolic acidosis occurs: in this phase has undergone metabolisir to methanolic formic acid and causes metabolic acidosis (increased blood acidity), which can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and may have started there are signs of vision problems.

The fourth phase is the toxicity in the eye, followed by blindness, coma, and possibly death: Visual disturbance / vision generally occurs at 12-48 hours after drinking, and its varied range, from the start can not stand the light (fotofobia), blurred or foggy, to blindness.

What to do if exposed to methanol exposure?

First, of course must be cleaned from the exposure. If exposed to the skin, immediately wash the affected area with warm water and soap for at least 10-15 minutes.

If exposed to methanol exposure on the eyes, then wash your eyes with eye wash fluid that is commonly used, at least 10-15 minutes. If inhaled or ingested, immediately requested medical assistance from doctors to do detoxification efforts.

One way is to use methanol detoxification of ethanol and sodium bicarbonate. Ethanol has the affinity (binding capacity) of alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes 10-20 times stronger than methanol, thus reducing the formation of formic acid as a result of methanol metabolism. Ethanol can be granted on a per-oral administration with a concentration up to 40%, or via intravenous administration with a concentration of 10% in 5% dextrose. While sodium bicarbonate is used to reduce the metabolic acidosis due to formic acid.

Well, that's about information on methanol ...

Are there any more who want to act stupid by drinking methanol?

Hopefully useful.

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