The discussion centers on the dangers of methanol and the challenges in testing for its presence in alcoholic beverages. Methanol is highly toxic, with even small amounts capable of causing blindness or death. The only known treatment for methanol poisoning involves administering ethanol to dilute methanol concentrations. Reliable testing methods for methanol include using sodium dichromate or permanganate, but these chemicals are also toxic. Participants emphasize the importance of safety and legality in alcohol distillation, particularly in the U.S.
PREREQUISITESThis discussion is beneficial for chemists, safety regulators, home distillers, and anyone involved in alcohol production or testing for methanol contamination.
No. And methanol is extremely poisonous! A few ounces are sufficient to become blind and a few more to die! Do you know how they treat a methanol poisoning at the hospital? They make you drunk! They reduce the methanol concentration by a maximal amount of ethanol. So there is no antidote, and dilution is the only chance.Toddy340 said:Hi
I was wondering if anyone could tell if there is a chemical that reacts the methanol but is also safe to consume in small amounts
I’m not planning on consuming methanol I’m talking like more testing alchol to see if there is methanol presentfresh_42 said:No. And methanol is extremely poisonous! A few ounces are sufficient to become blind and a few more to die! Do you know how they treat a methanol poisoning at the hospital? They make you drunk! They reduce the methanol concentration by a maximal amount of ethanol. So there is no antidote, and dilution is the only chance.
It looks as if there are some indicators on the market, but I would not rely on them. The two alcohols are far too similar to risk anything. If there is a chance there is methanol in something stay away. Moonshiners almost certainly contain methanol, the question is how much.Toddy340 said:I’m not planning on consuming methanol I’m talking like more testing alchol to see if there is methanol present
I’m guessing OP has some home-distilled liquor and wants to know 1) if the liquor contains methanol, and 2) if there’s a way to remove or neutralize the methanol to make the liquor drinkable.mfb said:Why would it need to be safe for consumption?