How to distinguish ethanol and methanol

Ethanol and methanol are the two most common alcohols today and are both produced by fermentation and distillation methods.

Ethanol is usually less harmful to humans because it is produced by starches and cereals.

Meanwhile, methanol is an industrial solvent used to dissolve inorganic, organic . and prepare other industrial chemicals. Methanol is usually produced from materials that contain cenlulose. This alcohol can cause poisoning to humans, even leading to life-threatening dangers.

How to distinguish ethanol and methanol Picture 1

When methanol poisoning, victims often have some manifestations such as headache, nausea, convulsions, mental collapse, visual impairment or even blindness .

To be able to distinguish between ethanol and methanol, you should pay attention to their color, methanol alcohol is often green.

How to check for alcohol containing methanol

For profit, to produce alcohol at a cheap cost, some people mix ethanol and methanol together to increase the alcohol level and volume. If alcohol is ingested with methanol, victims are susceptible to poisoning. Methanol in the human body will convert into formic acid. This buildup in the body can cause adverse effects on circulation, liver damage, kidney failure, nerve damage, permanent blindness and even death.

To check if alcohol contains methanol, you can follow the ways below.

1. Smell drinks : If a drink has a strong, unpleasant chemical odor, it is not safe to consume. However, not all methanol-contaminated drinks have an unpleasant odor.
2. Test with fire : Dip some paper in drinks and burn. If the sample produces a yellow flame, this drink is not safe.
3. Manual test : Pour some alcohol into palm and rub hands together. If the alcohol contains methanol, after a short time the alcohol will evaporate. With real wine, you will find your hands a bit sticky.
4. Put in the freezer : Put wine into the freezer. After 1 day of taking out, if alcohol contains methanol, they will freeze, and real alcohol will not.
5. Using red litmus paper : Dip red litmus paper into alcohol for 2-3 minutes. If the litmus paper turns green, the alcohol contains methanol and is dangerous to health.

How to distinguish ethanol and methanol Picture 2

Measures to deal with methanol alcohol poisoning

When the victim is poisoned with methanol, he should find a way to let the victim vomit and rub hard on both cheeks. Then give the victim a cup of hot milk, condensed tea.

Loosen shirt, pants and let the victim lie down on the bed, hands down, facing to the left in a cool place but avoid direct drafts.

Do not give the victim anti-emetic medication because it will keep the poison in the body and do not give Paracetamol because it will damage the liver.

If the victim shows signs of seizures, coma, irregular breathing, eye bags, arrhythmia, falls with ear bleeds, etc. poisoning agent) to emergency hospital.