These attributes lead methanol to be used as an antifreeze in windshield washer fluid to keep the cleaning fluid from freezing. It is also injected in natural gas pipelines, where it lowers the freezing point of water during oil and gas transport.
Methanol is primarily used as an industrial solvent to help create inks, resins, adhesives, and dyes. It is also used as a solvent in the manufacture of important pharmaceutical ingredients and products such as cholesterol, streptomycin, vitamins and hormones.
Methanol can be used as a type of vehicle fuel or marine fuel for boats. It can also be blended into gasoline to produce an efficient fuel known as methyl tertiary butyl ether MTBE which can have lower emissions than conventional gasoline. Methanol also is used in biodiesel, a renewable type of fuel made from plants or animal fats that can be used in place of, or blended into, conventional fuel. Methanol occurs naturally in many foods, including fruits and vegetables.
Dietary methanol helps to regulate human gene activity. It is also created in the human digestive system to help metabolize food. The U. OSHA also sets permissible exposure limits on methanol in industrial settings to help protect worker safety.
Its endless myriad applications have made methanol ubiquitous in our lives and throughout society. In , Mitsubishi Gas Chemical became the first company in Japan to successfully synthesize natural gas into methanol. In the s, we increased our production capacity and established factories overseas to be closer to cheaper source materials to meet the quickly broadening demand and enhance our competitiveness.
The manufacturing technology and natural gas extraction methods developed propelled us to the forefront of the methanol industry, and we launched our endeavor to create a global production and sales network. We were soon using our proprietary technology to produce and supply methanol locally and to all regions of the world via specially engineered tanker ships. Over more than 60 years of continually expanding and diversifying our operations, we have grown into a world-leading methane provider with a fully integrated global network annually producing and delivering some 2.
The versatility of methanol is making it a common fuel resource in the power generation industry. At MGC, we use methanol as a fuel source not only in liquid form, but also in the form of highly efficient fuel cell batteries.
Locations and conditions where it is impractical to utilize commercial power commonly currently use rechargeable batteries, solar cells, and gas-powered engine generators. Sydney woman, 18, returned home from schoolies in Bali permanently blinded after drinking cocktail containing methanol.
Man from regional NSW, 18, suffers temporary blindness from a drink containing methanol, also in Bali. Methanol is converted in the body into formic acid, the same toxin that is found in the venom of ants. It is a very, very unpleasant process," says toxicologist Professor Chris Winder. The earliest signs of methanol poisoning can be hard to distinguish from the normal effects of alcohol.
You can develop mild symptoms similar to alcohol intoxication within an hour, along with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. After 12 to 24 hours, the more significant symptoms can develop, such as headache, dizziness, vertigo and blurred vision.
If eye symptoms such as blurred vision or difficulty looking a bright light develop, then "they really are in trouble," says Fulde. The first piece of advice from all the experts is to quickly seek medical help if you fear you may have been poisoned with methanol.
At the hospital, doctors can treat methanol poisoning by administering ethanol, which prevents the toxicity by stopping the production of formic acid. Another antidote is a drug called fomepizole. Like ethanol, this drug inhibits the conversion of methanol into toxic compounds in the body. Hospitals may also use hemodialysis to clear the methanol from the blood. This site is being redeveloped.
For all the latest ABC Health content click here. Features Have your say Share Print. Recent Australian reports of methanol poisoning: August Tasmanian police and health department officials issued warnings about the dangers of drinking home-distilled spirits after the deaths of two men had been linked to a batch of moonshine that was circulating in a community on the state's east coast.
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