How denatured alcohol effects a person when they consume this alcohol?
How denatured alcohol effects a person when they consume this alcohol?
Many unfortunate accidents involving the consumption of methanol have been recorded in the literature. Methanol is often used to denature ethanol for industrial uses, and as its odor is milder and sweeter than ethanol, so its presence in denatured alcohol is difficult to detect. People may accidentally consume methanol while consuming what they believe to be unadulterated ethanol. A report of multiple victims of methanol toxicity in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea showed that a dose-related response exists with ocular effects ranging from none to blindness. With consumption of higher volumes, vision loss often precedes death. Rarely, significant systemic toxicity may occur via percutaneous or inhalational exposure.
Temporary reactions to systemic methanol exposure include peripapillary edema, optic disc hyperemia, diminished pupillary reactions and central scotomata. Permanent ocular abnormalities include decreased visual acuity, blindness, optic disc pallor, attenuation or sheathing of arterioles, diminished pupillary reaction to light and visual field defects. MRI studies have shown one location of neurological damage from methanol to be in the putamen. Pathologic studies reveal that methanol probably damages mitochondria in the photoreceptors.
Many unfortunate accidents involving the consumption of methanol have been recorded in the literature. Methanol is often used to denature ethanol for industrial uses, and as its odor is milder and sweeter than ethanol, so its presence in denatured alcohol is difficult to detect. People may accidentally consume methanol while consuming what they believe to be unadulterated ethanol. A report of multiple victims of methanol toxicity in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea showed that a dose-related response exists with ocular effects ranging from none to blindness. With consumption of higher volumes, vision loss often precedes death. Rarely, significant systemic toxicity may occur via percutaneous or inhalational exposure.
Temporary reactions to systemic methanol exposure include peripapillary edema, optic disc hyperemia, diminished pupillary reactions and central scotomata. Permanent ocular abnormalities include decreased visual acuity, blindness, optic disc pallor, attenuation or sheathing of arterioles, diminished pupillary reaction to light and visual field defects. MRI studies have shown one location of neurological damage from methanol to be in the putamen. Pathologic studies reveal that methanol probably damages mitochondria in the photoreceptors.
