Poisoning with methanol and ethyl alcohol everywhere cause disability and death. This usually happens with people who are used to drinking alcohol substitutes and do not notice the difference between them. Of course, no one can be insured against low-quality products sold in stores, so you need to know how to recognize the poisoning and what to do in this case.
Physical properties
Methanol is a colorless liquid with the smell of alcohol, highly soluble in water. It can be mixed with organic solvents such as benzene, acetone, other alcohols. Upon contact with air, the mixture becomes explosive, sixteen degrees Celsius is enough for ignition to occur. The lethal dose for humans is 100 milliliters.
Production
On an industrial scale, methanol can be produced in several ways. The substance was first obtained after dry distillation of wood in combination with lignin, then the technology for producing alcohol by decomposition of formic acid salts under the influence of high temperatures appeared. When it became unprofitable, it was decided to synthesize methanol from methane by incomplete oxidation. Now carbon dioxide and hydrogen are used for this with the addition of a copper-zinc catalyst.
Disposal
Methanol products are highly polluting. The water used in its purification and distillation is so saturated with harmful substances that even after repeated filtration, precipitation and chemical purification, it still remains unsuitable for drinking. Therefore, at present, there is a development of closed loop methanol production technologies. This means that water will be reused, and not discharged, like biological or chemical waste. Given the problem of fresh water on Earth, this method would help save valuable natural resources.
Using
On an industrial scale, methanol is used as a solvent for varnishes and paints, as a raw material for subsequent chemical production, as a substrate for medicines. It is part of antifreeze fluid. Most methanol is used in the production of formaldehyde and as an additive to gasoline, in addition, it is added to fuel for race cars and motorcycles.
Many perfume companies use methanol in the manufacture of perfumes for a more persistent aroma, but in the CIS this is prohibited by the law on consumer rights. In addition, methanol is also used in the production of gas and oil products. It acts on salts deposited on the walls of distillation pipes, thus preserving their throughput.
Metabolism
The characteristic symptoms of intoxication can be noticed within an hour after taking the substance, but in some people the symptoms may not manifest themselves until a day and a half. It is rapidly absorbed in the stomach, but is metabolized quite slowly, therefore it is excreted from the body within a week. If the intervals between doses are small, then the poison can accumulate. More than 70% of the substance is excreted during breathing, while the toxins practically do not decompose. The remaining 30% after neutralization in the liver leaves the body with urine.
The action of methanol and ethanol on the human body is a violation of redox processes, provoking hypoxia and acidosis. This, in turn, leads to a deficiency of vitamins C and B1 and an increase in intoxication. These alcohols are classified as neurovascular and protoplasmic poisons.
Vision Impact
As with inhalation, even when taken orally, the effect of methanol on vision remains fatal. Damage to the optic nerve and retina is observed both in cases of acute intoxication and in case of chronic poisoning. Pathophysiologists believe that this is due to the products of methanol metabolism. They interfere with adequate oxidative phosphorylation in the retina and inhibit oxygen-free glucose production. A lack of nutrients is detrimental to the organ of vision. In addition, methanol vapors irritate the mucous membranes, leading to inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Inhalation of vapor
Formaldehyde toxic fumes rarely contain pure methanol. The effect on the human body by inhalation occurs in two stages. Initially, a reaction of local irritation of the mucous membranes occurs, and after absorption into the bloodstream - systemic poisoning of the body. Clinical symptoms are as follows. The victim complains of dizziness, nausea, a feeling of fog in front of the eyes due to severe intoxication. In addition, visual acuity sharply decreases, pains appear in the right hypochondrium. Such poisoning is more often chronic than acute, since due to severe irritation of the upper respiratory tract a person avoids contact with methanol.
Ingestion
The detrimental effect of methanol on the body is often manifested by the use of denatured alcohol and other chemicals. For a person, even ten milliliters of this “drink” is dangerous, and a dose of thirty ml can be fatal. Nevertheless, the same person may respond differently to methanol if he consumes it continuously or with prolonged intervals. Typically, people experience cyanosis (blueing), deep and rare breathing, cramps are possible. The pulse is quickened, the reaction of the pupils to the light is absent. Most often, death occurs due to cessation of breathing. If a person is conscious, then he complains of pain in the stomach, flickering flies in front of the eyes, vision problems. Even if the patient managed to survive in such a situation, then violations in the liver will already be irreversible.
Chronic poisoning
With it, there is a decrease in color vision, retinal atrophy, swelling and dying of the optic nerve, an inhibited reaction of the pupils to a light stimulus. A person quickly gets tired, experiences headaches in the second half of the working day, there is excessive irritability, tearfulness, emotional lability. If inhaled or drunk substances practically do not contain methanol, the effect on the human body will be less noticeable. It will manifest itself by an increase in tinnitus, frequent colds, cough for no apparent reason, headache, and visual impairment.
The effect of methanol on the skin is not well understood. Usually this occurs simultaneously with the inhalation of vapors, so that systemic manifestations prevail over local ones. But there is a known case when a painter spilled solvent on his clothes and shoes. Instead of changing clothes, the man continued to work. A few days after this incident, he went blind.
First aid
First of all, we need to remove methanol. The effect on the human body (first aid is given the pathogenesis of poisoning so that you can pick up an antidote) consists in poisoning with metabolic products. This means that those who provide medical care need to delay or prevent the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde. For this, gastric lavage is done if the victim is taken to the hospital within the first two hours. Plus, the infusion of 5% baking soda (1 liter) is indicated intravenously, and after washing you also need to drink such a solution (2-4 liters). To maintain the required level of nutrition of the optic nerve and brain, 500 ml of 5% glucose is subcutaneously injected. After emergency measures, every half hour it is necessary to drink a solution containing 5 g of soda. In addition, intravenous administration of sodium lactic acid solution, up to 4 liters per day, is indicated.
All these activities are carried out with hourly monitoring of the acid-base state of the blood, the level of bicarbonates and the acidity of urine. It is also necessary to monitor the level of electrolytes and adjust it as needed. Monitoring heart activity is required.
Ethyl alcohol is a substance that neutralizes methanol. The effect on the human body is manifested in such a way that the liver enzymes will be “occupied” with the oxidation of ordinary ethyl alcohol, and methanol will remain unchanged and leave the body with expired air, as well as urine. When it is reliably known that the victim received a large dose of methyl alcohol, he is immediately injected intravenously with a 5% solution of ethyl alcohol in a 5% glucose solution at the rate of 1.5–2 g of alcohol per 1 kg of patient weight per day, constantly monitoring the concentration ethanol in the blood, since it can easily turn from a medicine into a poison.
The action of methanol is detrimental not only for direct target organs - all body systems suffer. Therefore, symptomatic therapy includes oxygen inhalation, artificial respiration, bloodletting, drugs to improve the nutrition of the heart muscle and maintain its excitability and contractility. If the patient has mental changes, then he is given sedatives. In extremely severe cases, hemodialysis is necessary.
Preventive measures
Today, safety experts recommend replacing methanol in plants. The effect on the human body of this substance exceeds the efficiency of its use. There is an alternative in the form of ethyl alcohol, synthetic alcohols. In particularly dangerous places, wearing gas masks is recommended.
The effect of methanol on humans, as you can see, is negative. In order to protect people from unnecessary contact with this substance, it is necessary to use specific marking on containers containing it and generally available materials, for example, such as varnishes, paints and their solvents. Pipelines with methanol must be painted in the appropriate color, warning workers of housing and communal services, because it is not only toxic, but also explosive, especially near high voltage wires or gas pipes, which are often laid together.
In the end, I would like to appeal to those who, despite everything, regularly use methanol: it has an effect on the human body both instantly and gradually, and there are no guarantees that if you avoided poisoning earlier, then it will not overtake you in the future. Be careful and read the labels carefully!