2006-12-24 22:36:20 · 9 answers · asked by www_nikhil 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Methanol when ingested in the human vody is metabolized to formaldehyde and formic acid in the liver by enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. The latter is toxic which causes blindness by destruction of the optic nerve. Methanol ingestion can also be fatal due to its CNS depressant properties in the same manner as ethanol poisoning. It enters the body by ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through the skin.
Whereas ethanol is first oxidized to acetaldehyde, and then to acetic acid. The first step is catalysed by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and the second by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. Some individuals have less effective forms of one or both of these enzymes, and can experience more severe symptoms from ethanol consumption than others. Conversely, those who have acquired ethanol tolerance have a greater quantity of these enzymes, and metabolize ethanol more rapidly.
The initial product of ethanol metabolism, acetaldehyde, is more toxic than ethanol itself. The body can quickly detoxify some acetaldehyde by reaction with glutathione and similar thiol-containing biomolecules. When acetaldehyde is produced beyond the capacity of the body's glutathione supply to detoxify it, it accumulates in the bloodstream until further oxidized to acetic acid. The headache, nausea, and malaise associated with an alcohol hangover stem from a combination of dehydration and acetaldehyde poisoning; many health conditions associated with chronic ethanol abuse, including liver cirrhosis, alcoholism, and some forms of cancer, have been linked to acetaldehyde.
Thus you can see for yourself that ethanol is much much less poisonous than methanol but if consumed for a long time it too is toxic
2006-12-24 22:50:27 · answer #1 · answered by Som™ 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Methanol can be used to make methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), an oxygenate which is blended with gasoline to enhance octane and create cleaner burning fuel. MTBE production and use has declined because it has been found to contaminate ground water. In the future, methanol could possibly be the fuel of choice for providing the hydrogen necessary to power fuel cell vehicles. Methanol is used as a fuel, to make formaldehyde and antifreeze. Methanol is added as a denaturant to ethanol to make it unpalatable so that it avoids taxes on drinkable alcohol. First discovered in 1661, Methanol has been used without isolation by peoples as far back as the Egyptians in their embalming processes. The name comes from methy, meaning wine, and hyle, meaning trees.
2006-12-28 04:15:42 · answer #2 · answered by Rational Storm 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All the previous answerers are right but I think that this happened during the evolution because it was easy for a human being to find and consume diluted ethanol(wine) naturally since it was a product of fermentation of plant sugars,and thus evolved the necessary enzymatic mechanism in his body
2006-12-25 17:47:27 · answer #3 · answered by qwine2000 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's always a problem of metabolism. If there is accumulation of a toxic product at the end of the degradation pathway the starting product is considered as toxic. Alcohol with 1, 3, 5 carbon atomes are toxic. Those with 2, 4, 6 carbone atomes are less toxic, because they are degradable without any end toxic compound.
2006-12-24 23:28:57 · answer #4 · answered by crazyworld 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Methanol is produced from natural gas and is lethal. Ethanol is made from plants and is only mildly poisonous, (used in alcoholic drinks) ,so can only assume that it is deriveed from plants which makes it less toxic.
2006-12-24 22:56:19 · answer #5 · answered by Ted T 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The picture you showed is neither an insect nor spider. lt is an arachnid and is related to the spider. It is called the harvestman. And it has no venom. The daddylongleg that is an insect is called a crane fly. They resemble a large mosquito. And they don't have no venom whatsoever. There is a daddylongleg that is a spider. But its venom is too weak to do any serious damage on a human.
2016-05-23 05:27:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ethanol is converted into acetic acid (think vinegar). Methanol is converted into formic acid (think bee stings).
2006-12-25 07:11:35 · answer #7 · answered by mu_do_in 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why is chocolate fattening, and broccoli is good for you?
Why is does rat poison kill, but grain doesn't?
It's just the way it is.
2006-12-24 22:48:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
It's the "meth" part.
2006-12-24 22:37:42 · answer #9 · answered by Mad Dog Johnson 4 · 0⤊ 4⤋