Question

Intake of a small quantity of methanol can be lethal. Comment?

Answer 1

Intake of a small quantity of methanol can be lethal:

• Methanol$({\mathrm{CH}}_3-\mathrm{OH})$ gets oxidized to Methanal$\left(\mathrm{HCHO}\right)$ in the liver, which reacts rapidly with the components of cells.
• Methanol reacts rapidly with the components of cells and causes the protoplasm to get coagulated (in the same ways, as an egg gets coagulated on boiling).
• Methanol also affects the optic nerves and causes blindness, hence intake of small quantities of methanol can be lethal.
• Oxidation of methanol in the liver basically produces Formaldehyde and the enzyme responsible for this process varies from species to species.
• Alcohol dehydrogenase is known to be preponderant in most primates, whereas a catalase-peroxidase complex mostly predominates in rodents, humans, and possibly some other species.
• Formaldehyde tends rapidly oxidized to formic acid by Formaldehyde dehydrogenase, which is mostly responsible for the delayed clinical signs of methanol toxicosis in humans and other primates.
• Formic acid generally acidosis directly and indirectly in primates through Cytochrome C oxidase inhibition, which interferes with aerobic metabolism.
• Inhibition of mitochondria cytochrome is also known to be responsible for the CNs effects.

Therefore, taking a small amount of Methanol can be fatal/lethal.