Methanol, ingestion

A 50- year-old male chronic alcoholic ingests methanol. Which of the following findings is associated with acute methanol ingestion ... 

Renal failure (acute or chronic) Methanol ingestion Ethylene glycol ingestion Salicylate overdosage Starvation... 

Methanol or methyl alcohol can become an alcoholic s main source of alcohol because it is cheaper. Methanol is frequently used as an additive for industrial ethanol to circumvent taxes. Methanol may be purposely adulterated to make it less palatable, but it is used nevertheless Methanol ingestion can be fatal due to its CNS depressant effects. In addition it is toxic because it is a substrate for alcohol dehydrogenase forming formic acid and formaldehyde which... 

Competitive inhibitors. These compete with the normal substrate for the enzyme s binding site. This does not affect the maximum rate of the reaction but does mean that more substrate has to be supplied. Eor example, to treat cases of methanol ingestion, ethanol is used to compete with methanol. Most drugs that act as reversible inhibitors are competitive inhibitors. 

TA medical therapy based on competition at the active site is used to treat patients who have ingested methanol, a solvent found in gas-line antifreeze. The liver enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase converts methanol to formaldehyde, which is damaging to many tissues. Blindness is a common result of methanol ingestion, because... 

For the few carbamate insecticides whose formulations contain methanol ("wood alcohol"), the toxicology of the latter is an important consideration. Methanol ingestion by any route can cause severe gastroentritis, acidosis, CNS damage and neuropathy. 

Hazards 99% nitric acid is highly corrosive, and toxic, use proper ventilation when handling. Wear gloves and use proper ventilation when handling concentrated hydrochloric acid. Concentrated hydrochloric acid evolves chocking corrosive fumes. Avoid inhalation of fumes. Avoid inhalation or skin absorption from methanol Ingestion of methanol may be fatal. 

Historically, injuries and fatalities have been reported from acute methanol overexposure via ingestion, inhalation, as well as prolonged or repeated skin contact. Inhalation toxicity can occur in occupational settings or as a result of inhalant abuse (huffing). Clinical studies of individuals acutely poisoned by methanol ingestion have identified visual disturbances and possibly blindness as the most notable toxic effects in humans. Methanol is also a CNS depressant, although less potent than ethanol, and has also been shown to produce liver damage upon overexposure. 

In addition to oxidizing ethanol to acetaldehyde, alcohol dehydrogenase can oxidize methanol to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is damaging to many tissues and since eye tissue is particularly sensitive, methanol ingestion can cause blindness. 

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