All alcoholic products are a certain composition based on ethyl alcohol, aromatic additives and coloring elements. Unlike high-quality products, in the surrogate the main substance is methanol, which has a strong toxic effect on the body. The ability to correctly determine whether methyl or ethyl alcohol is in the composition alcoholic products, will help save not only health, but also life.
Ethyl alcohol or ethanol is the basis of every alcoholic drink from beer to exotic drinks.
One of the most terrible alcohol poisoning is the use of methyl (technical) alcohol instead of ethyl (food) or medical
The scientific name for alcohol containing ethyl is ethanol. Its chemical formula is C2H5OH. This substance is recognized as psychoactive and is used as an antidepressant. Ethanol has received the main distribution in the following industries:
- Medicine. Alcohol-containing solutions are used for disinfection.
- Production. The main raw material in the manufacture of solvents and similar products.
- Oil products. Ethanol is used in the creation of fuels and lubricants.
The main difference between ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol is that only organic products are used for its production. Ethanol is formed as a result of their fermentation, for which special yeasts are used. The resulting solution goes through several stages of additional processing and distillation. After passing through all stages of filtration in the resulting solution, the ethanol content does not exceed twenty percent.
Methyl alcohol
The main active component of methyl alcohol is methanol. This compound has the chemical formula CH3OH, and in its essence is a real poison. Its entry into the body can lead to severe poisoning, as a result of which various pathologies develop, sometimes the use of methanol leads to death.
This monohydric alcohol is obtained by treating wood with formic acid and special substances. The composition is used as a chemical solvent. Very often, such a solution is the basis of formaldehyde. The main difference in the effect of these compounds on the body is that ethyl is much more easily absorbed by the body. When methyl enters the esophagus, oxidation processes begin, which leads to the formation of harmful toxins.
The first organs that are exposed to the harmful effects of methyl are the eyes and the nervous system. Blindness is one of the main symptoms of drinking a low-quality alcohol-containing drink.
The problem is that technical alcohol does not differ in taste, smell and color from food alcohol.
How to distinguish ethyl alcohol
The use of low-quality alcoholic products does not lead to such destructive consequences as the use of methyl alcohol. What is the difference between ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol at first glance is quite difficult. Both of these compositions are identical in taste and color of the liquid.
Methanol is one of the strongest poisons known today. Its use depresses the nervous system and adversely affects the blood vessels. When the complications caused by the use of methyl are expressed on the visual organs, this leads to the fact that a person completely loses his sight. wrap this process backward is very difficult. The use of methyl alcohol can provoke the following reactions:
- headache;
- a sharp deterioration in well-being;
- the appearance of pain in the abdomen;
- loss of orientation in time and space.
The use of a surrogate can cause short-term memory loss, dizziness attacks and loss of consciousness. When the amount drunk exceeds one hundred grams, a fatal outcome is possible.
One way to test ethyl or methyl alcohol is to set the drink on fire. Ethyl alcohol burns with an even flame that has a blue tint. In contrast, methyl has a green flame.
Methanol is commonly found in solvents, antifreeze liquids, and other household chemicals that are not intended for ingestion.
You can determine methanol in alcohol using an ordinary potato. To do this, a small piece of peeled root is added to a glass of liquid. Unfortunately, the oxidation process takes a certain amount of time. However, as a result of this test, the potato may change its color. When a potato changes its color to pale pink, this is a 100% sign of methyl content in the liquid.
Another chemical test of the solution can be done at home. For its implementation, the presence of copper wire is required. It is heated to a state of redness on fire, and then immediately dipped into a container of liquid. As a result of chemical processes, a sharp, bad smell. Its presence indicates that the mixture contains methanol. Ethyl behaves quite differently in these tests. The mixture begins to emit a subtle apple aroma.
A similar reaction can be achieved by yet another method. To do this, you need a small piece of cotton wool, which is carefully soaked in the solution, after the cotton wool absorbs the solution, it must be set on fire. As a result of the combustion process, the same specific smell is formed, with which you can determine the type of alcohol contained in the product.
How to determine methyl alcohol
Methyl alcohol is a highly toxic substance that belongs to the group of alcohols having a monoatomic structure. To start pathological changes in the body, it is enough to use ten milliliters of such a substance once. As a result of such an impact on the body, the issue of analyzing alcoholic beverages for the content of methanol takes on an important form for life. Any person with the necessary knowledge in the field of chemistry will answer how to distinguish between methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol, but what should a person do when all the necessary laboratory equipment is not at hand.
Buy alcohol in trusted stores, where the risk of becoming a victim of counterfeiting is much lower than in dubious points of sale
One of the most dangerous factors of methyl alcohol is that it is completely identical in appearance to the composition contained in ethyl. Their main difference is the principle of action on the body. As a result of the action of methanol, acute poisoning with toxic substances occurs.
Distinguishing one alcohol from another is easy enough using any of the methods described above. But how to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl, if they are contained in the product in equal amounts or with a certain ratio. It should be noted right away that the use of such a product is highly undesirable, and its samples can only be carried out in laboratory conditions. Conducting such studies is a priority for confirming or refuting the methanol content in ethyl alcohol.
To determine the quantity and quality of alcohol contained in alcohol in the laboratory, special "iodoform" samples are used.
In addition, a technique is used by which methyl is converted into substances such as formaldehyde. For such an experiment, it is necessary to have a special test tube, the top of which contains a pipe for venting gases. Sulfuric acid is poured into such a test tube with the addition of potassium permanganate. These two substances react to form formaldehyde. Different exposures to this substance lead to a variety of reactions, which in most cases confirms the presence of methanol. At home, the only method remains using copper wire.
Of course, checking the composition at home will not give a 100% result. Recently, mixtures have been common where medical alcohol is used to mask methyl. Such a composition may not show a certain reaction to all manipulations.
A full result can only be obtained by having the conditions for laboratory testing at hand. If there is even the slightest hint that the purchased product may be of poor quality, it is recommended to get rid of it immediately.
At the end of 2015, news spread across Russia that residents of the Moscow region, having bought a low-quality alcoholic drink, were poisoned with methyl alcohol. A company of 8 people drank rum under a well-known brand, which was bought from friends for next to nothing. Absolutely everyone was taken to the hospital with severe poisoning, four of the victims died. The rest were treated for a long time. And there are quite a few such situations when people are poisoned low-quality drinks and the question arises, how to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol?
What is ethyl alcohol?
Another name for ethyl alcohol is ethanol. From chemistry lessons we know the formula of alcohol C2H5OH. It is a psychoactive substance, as well as a depressant. Ethanol is used for various purposes:
- Ethyl alcohol is added to alcoholic drinks, it is thanks to it that drinks have a heady effect.
- Various solvents (windshield washers, antifreeze)
- added to fuel.
- Used as a disinfectant in medicine.
A solution is obtained through fermentation and the addition of yeast to organic products, then it must be processed, distilled. A solution is obtained in which the ethanol content no more than fifteen percent.
To obtain a more concentrated solution, a more complex alcoholic fermentation method is used, where the water content of the final product is very low.
Methyl alcohol
Methanol is also called monohydric alcohol. Solution formula CH3OH is poison. That's why the use of liquids containing methyl alcohol is very dangerous and leads to death.
Get methanol from wood, formic acid and lignin. Methanol can be used both as a solvent and for the production of formaldehyde. The absorption of methanol in the body is much slower than the absorption of ethyl alcohol. As a result, an oxidation process occurs in the human body, in which toxic substances are formed.
As a result, methanol has a depressing effect on the central nervous system and on the retina. That is why people often go blind when drinking low-quality alcoholic beverages.
How to determine methyl alcohol at home?
To determine methyl alcohol, you need to use in one of several ways which are listed below:
- The first way is to determine the temperature at which the liquid begins to boil. To do this, you need a container in which liquid is placed, a gas burner or other heating device and a thermometer. We start to boil. The boiling point of ethanol is 78 degrees Celsius, while methanol boils at a much lower temperature - 64 degrees.
- For next way you will need copper wire. It needs to be heated to a red-hot state, then dipped into a liquid. If an apple flavor comes out, then be sure that you have ethanol in front of you. If the smell is pungent and unpleasant, it is methyl alcohol.
Only concentrated liquid is suitable for such checks. If you have a solution or an alcoholic drink in front of you, such verification methods will not work.
How to determine methyl alcohol in alcohol?
Very often in the alcohol production market you can find a low-quality product. The sale of alcoholic beverages brings a significant profit to unscrupulous producers. If you have purchased a drink and doubt its quality, then you should check it so that poisoning and undesirable death do not occur.
Here several ways to determine the presence of methyl alcohol in alcohol:
- Ignite the liquid. Vodka can be subjected to this method of verification. quality vodka ignites without problems. The fire will be bluish and the smell will not be sharp.
- The second method is not as effective, but it will still help to recognize the presence of methanol. You will need potato cut in half. A few drops should be applied to peeled potatoes. The starch in the potato will take on a pinkish color. Such a drink is absolutely impossible to drink.
- For the next method will help you potassium permanganate. When potassium permanganate is added to alcohol, no reactions should occur, but if the liquid starts to hiss, then be sure that this is a reaction to the presence of methanol.
In addition to these methods of determination, you can check the bottle for product quality without buying on the following grounds:
- The presence of an excise stamp;
- The label must contain the address of the manufacturer;
- The bottle is whole without damage;
- Hermetically sealed.
Signs of methanol poisoning, the procedure for poisoning
It is important to know signs of methanol poisoning:
- The first sign of poisoning - vision problems. Fuzziness and blurring of objects are observed. A person may complain of photophobia, his pupils will be dilated.
- Abdominal pain. In case of poisoning, vomiting and pain are observed.
Such signs indicate that you have methyl alcohol poisoning. If, by an unfortunate accident, you have consumed alcohol, which contains methyl alcohol, you should immediately call a doctor, because death can occur in a few hours.
Let's list step by step order actions in case of methanol poisoning:
- The first thing to do in case of poisoning - clear the stomach. The sooner this is done, the less likely it is to die.
- As paradoxical as it may sound, but in case of methanol poisoning, you need to consume ethanol in small doses. It will help to quickly remove the poison from the body.
- In case of severe poisoning, hemodialysis is indicated (blood filtration, in which the human kidneys are not involved).
- Call an ambulance, call a team of doctors.
All of the above will help you distinguish between methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol, and avoid unpleasant consequences from drinking low-quality drinks.
Video lesson: determine the quality and type of alcohol
In this video tutorial, Alexey will tell you how to determine which alcohol is in front of us - ethyl or methyl, using ordinary potassium permanganate:
Ethyl alcohol can be consumed. Methyl is used only for industrial purposes, for the production of solvents. Both species have the same smell and transparency. It is impossible to visually distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol. In laboratory studies, this can be verified without much difficulty.
It is important not to make a mistake and choose the right product. Technical fluid, even in small quantities, can cause various violations. First of all, the central nervous system and organs of vision are affected. A person develops a deterioration in health, weakness, pale skin, back pain, dizziness, and blindness.
How to check ethyl or methyl alcohol
Both drinks have exactly the same color, completely transparent. By appearance you can never tell one from the other. When ignited, the compounds ignite equally quickly, there is no difference in this. They burn with a bluish tint.
Indirectly, the presence of a low-quality product can be assumed to smell.
When opening two containers together, you can feel the characteristic vodka smell. His absence should alert and make you think about the consequences.
If there are doubts about the quality, do not take risks and use such products. It is difficult to distinguish these drinks from each other on your own.
Home methods for determining
You can distinguish alcohols with the help of improvised means. It must be remembered that these methods carried out at home cannot fully replace laboratory studies. There are several ways in which these liquids can be distinguished:
- The color of the flame when ignited;
- Interaction with raw potatoes;
- A characteristic reaction with potassium permanganate;
- Boiling temperature;
- Experience with soda;
- Formaldehyde;
- Lang test.
It is not recommended to be content with any one sample, this will not help to distinguish them. Front possible use alcohol, it is necessary to conduct several experiments to distinguish them from each other. This will most reliably determine the nature of the liquid. It is worth remembering that none of the home methods will give 100% certainty. The abuse of alcohol-containing products leads to the development of physical and mental dependence.
flame color
Need to pour a large number of liquid in an iron spoon and bring a lighted match or lighter to it. Ethanol has a blue flame. The technical one burns with a bright green flame. This is because ethyl contains a large amount of hydrogen. One molecule contains 6 atoms. When in contact with oxygen, carbon is formed, which gives the flame a blue-blue color.
One of the possible ways to distinguish alcohols is ignition.
The methanol molecule contains only 4 hydrogen atoms. Therefore, when reacting with oxygen, it burns in green. This method cannot be completely trusted. Various additives to alcohol can give the flame a bluish tint.
Reaction with potatoes
Simple folk methods include a test with potatoes. Need to clear raw potatoes, put a small piece in containers with alcohols. If the color of the potato has changed to pink, then this is technical alcohol. It cannot be used. In ethanol, the color of the vegetable will remain the same. 
Reaction with potassium permanganate
Another option to distinguish one liquid from another is the use of potassium permanganate. I need to take two glasses. Pour in the test liquids. Add a few drops of manganese. If the alcohol began to boil, bubbles began to appear, then this is dangerous methyl alcohol. This is because when manganese ions and methanol ions combine, carbon dioxide is released.
If you conduct such an experiment with ethanol, then there will be no bubbles. Carbon dioxide is not released. This is their difference.
This method should not be completely trusted. Sometimes mixing of both alcohols is possible. Then there may be no streak. But this does not mean that this product is ready for use. Even diluted methanol can cause Negative consequences in a person. All persons suffering from alcoholism are at risk.
Boiling temperature
Alcohols have different chemical composition and different boiling points. Sample description:
- The liquid must be poured into a ladle and heated.
- Prepare an industrial thermometer.
- Determine at what temperature boiling occurs.
- Methanol will boil at 60 degrees. Ethanol - later, at 80 degrees.
Alcohols differ in density, therefore, the evaporation temperature of methyl alcohol will be lower. The most dangerous volatile compounds begin to evaporate first.
Reaction with baking soda
You need to take two containers. Throw a little baking soda. Then drip with an alcoholic solution of iodine. They differ in that ethanol precipitate is formed. Technical remains transparent. This is easily explained by the fact that the reactions occur in an alkaline environment. When ethanol and iodine molecules combine, a special substance is formed - iodoform. It sinks to the bottom.
Formaldehyde test
According to the instructions, this study should be carried out as follows:
- Pour spirits into two different glasses;
- Thoroughly heat a piece of copper wire;
- Alternately lower it into these glasses;
- After a few seconds, she is sniffed;
- If the smell of formaldehyde is strong, it is dangerous methanol. In ethanol, the smell will not change.
When copper and methanol are heated, oxidative reactions occur. Formaldehyde is released, which has the smell of rotten apples.
Lang test
To carry it out, take 500 ml of distilled water and 1 g of potassium permanganate. Shake well. In order for the crystals of potassium permanganate to disperse well. Then take 50 ml of this solution and add water to 500 ml. Then pour the test liquids.
Add a few drops of the prepared composition with a syringe or pipette. Methyl alcohol will discolor immediately. Ethyl - much later, after 20-25 minutes. This is because methanol contains much more fusel oils which neutralize potassium permanganate. This is how they differ from each other.
Precautionary measures
Methyl alcohol is used to produce formaldehyde. This is a dangerous volatile compound. It is dangerous not only to use, but also to inhale methanol vapors.
It must be remembered that no home methods can reliably distinguish dangerous product from safe.
Cases of methyl alcohol poisoning happen with enviable regularity. Alcoholism, drinking bouts force a person to use more and more low-quality products. The use of methanol can cause inhibition of all vital systems of the human body. Loss of vision, kidney and liver failure develop.
Even timely delivery medical care does not always have the desired effect. The patient develops various complications, up to death.
Alcoholic drinks - cognac, wine, tequila, vodka, beer and others - are, at a deep chemical level, a mixture of ethyl alcohol with various additives, which are water, plant extracts, flavorings, colorants etc. It is ethyl alcohol, intended for food and medical purposes, that is the basis of all high-quality strong drinks - but not surrogates.
A surrogate potion is produced on the basis of methyl alcohol - a substance from the same chemical-organic group. But for the human body, it is a pure poison. Visually distinguishing these two substances is very difficult, so cases of severe poisoning are common. In order not to subject your body to such a test, it is very important to be able to distinguish relatively safe ethanol from methanol.
Methanol and ethanol - poison and depressant
Ethyl alcohol, substance with chemical formula C2H5OH, is a depressant found in all alcoholic beverages. That is why their use causes an intoxicating effect. Ethanol is also called medical alcohol or food, since in small quantities it does not pose a threat to human health. True, prolonged use of ethanol-based drinks leads to the formation of dependence on it.
Ethyl alcohol is obtained by distilling a solution that has been previously fermented. So, a high concentration substance is formed, which must be diluted with water before use, otherwise a burn of the mucous membrane of the throat, mouth and esophagus is possible. Natural moonshine can also be obtained at home using a special moonshine still.
Methyl alcohol, a monoatomic substance with the chemical formula CH3OH, acts on human body like poison. The substance is extracted from lignin, formic acid and wood. Methanol is used in the industrial sector as a solvent for paints. It is also used in the formaldehyde production process. The absorption of methyl alcohol is much slower than the absorption of ethanol, and therefore, during the oxidation process, extremely toxic substances are formed in the body.
That is why methanol acts depressingly on the nervous system, has a negative effect on the retina. As a result of drinking low-quality alcohol, people often go blind. The use of methyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol can lead to serious poisoning. Even small doses can be fatal.
Lang test - an indicator of the quality of alcohol
You can make a Lang test yourself at home, for this you need to perform a series of manipulations described below.
Pour 50 ml of alcohol and 2 ml of potassium permanganate solution (a substance popularly known as potassium permanganate) into a container suitable for constant heating. You can prepare a solution of potassium permanganate by diluting 0.2 g of powder in distilled water.
Heat the alcohol to 18°C, then add the manganese solution and mix everything thoroughly.
The Lang index is an indicator of the level of alcohol quality: the longer the process of changing the color of the liquid under study, the higher this level. According to the results of the experiments, the Lang test is considered complete if the discoloration of the medical, drinking alcohol lasted at least 10 minutes.
Household methods for determining the quality of drinks
There are several home ways to check drinks for quality. They help determine what alcohol is in alcohol.
Method number 1. Fill a metal mug one-third full with the liquid to be tested. Put the container on fire and lower the thermometer into it. The boiling point of a liquid can be used to determine its chemical composition. Methyl alcohol will boil at 64°C, while ethyl alcohol will boil at 78°C.
Method number 2. Heat a piece of copper wire over a flame, then lower it into alcohol. The copper oxide formed as a result of heating will react with the liquid under study. Among other reaction products, the liquid will contain aldehyde, an organic compound with a characteristic odor. If the alcohol is ethyl, the smell of vinegar or rotten apples will appear. If it is methanol, the formalin vapor will irritate the nasal mucosa.
The results of household experiments with the determination of the chemical composition of alcohol are not 100% correct. An accurate result can only be obtained by conducting a chromatographic analysis in a chemical laboratory.
Method number 3. Pour into a transparent container a small amount of alcohol, add one pinch of baking soda and stir. Drop iodine into the resulting solution. Then see if there is a precipitate. Reacting with iodine, ethanol forms an insoluble substance that has a yellow color, iodoform. Methanol, on the other hand, does not precipitate and remains completely transparent.
Method number 4. Add a few crystals of potassium permanganate to a small amount of alcohol, then heat the pinkish solution. If bubbles of gas begin to stand out, what is in front of you is nothing but methyl alcohol.
Method number 5. An old folk method will help determine the chemical composition of alcohol. Throw a piece of peeled potato into the liquid and leave for several hours. If the potato has acquired a pink tint, then methyl alcohol, if it is blue, then ethyl alcohol.
You should not count on the fact that carrying out the above described manipulations will eliminate 100% of the danger of methanol poisoning. There are such "mysterious" mixtures in which pure ethyl alcohol serves as a kind of disguise for technical methyl alcohol. There are drinks with additives that literally “silence” those signs of methyl alcohol that should be obvious when testing. If there are at least some doubts about the origin and quality of the performance of alcohol, in this case it is better to refuse to use it.
Alcohol poisoning, which leads to blindness or death, most often occurs due to ignorance of how to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol. In 2012, mass poisoning with counterfeit alcohol occurred in the Czech Republic. The event received a lot of publicity due to the number of victims: 38 people died (the youngest was 16 years old), more than 50 received serious health problems, of which 7 became blind, and three had significantly disrupted work nervous system. The tragedy repeated itself in Russia in new year's eve 2016: employees of one of the fish processing plants, having discovered an ownerless container with liquid, decided to drink it. As a result, three people died immediately, the remaining 8 people were hospitalized in serious condition.
Methanol and its action
The culprit of fatal poisoning and disability - (or industrial alcohol, methanol). Poisonous liquid is practically no different from food product, they can be easily confused.
Methyl alcohol is used in industry:
- To obtain formaldehyde;
- In the paint and varnish industry for the production of solvents;
- As a component of windscreen cleaning fluid for cars;
- As an additive in engine fuel.
Also, racing cars and motorcycles are filled with methyl alcohol.
It is almost impossible to distinguish ethyl (food) alcohol from its technical counterpart. Both liquids belong to the group of monohydric alcohols. The color and taste are the same, there is a slight difference in the smell: in methyl it is slightly less pronounced.
But it is unlikely that someone who is not a specialist can "smell" the difference. Therefore, fatal errors occur so often when drinking alcohol.
However, there are cases of conscious use of methyl. In some people, due to the resistance of the body, drinking poisonous alcohol passes without a trace, which is the source of false rumors about the alleged harmlessness of methanol.
In fact, methyl is the strongest poison that can best case crippled, and at worst - will lead to death. After entering the gastrointestinal tract, industrial alcohol begins to have a toxic effect after an hour: the victim receives a narcotic effect that has nothing to do with ordinary intoxication. A particular danger when taking methanol is that it is slower than food alcohol decomposition process: the speed is 5-6 times lower.
First, methanol decomposes to formaldehyde, which then transforms into formic acid. Part of it reacts with proteins, disrupting the biochemical processes in the retina. As a result, the person becomes blind. Formic acid, being long time in the body, is the cause of severe acidosis. And undecomposed methanol neutralizes many vital important processes: affects hemoglobin and cell constituents. As a result, the supply of tissues with oxygen stops, hypoxia occurs.
Signs of poisoning and measures of help
The decay products of methyl alcohol remain in the body for 3-4 days, are excreted very slowly: 60% is excreted during breathing and only approximately 10% in the urine. The kidneys remove methanol on average within three days, formic acid - even longer - about a week.
The severity of the consequences of poisoning depends on the dose taken and the strength of the body. To get poisoned, it is not necessary only to drink adulterated alcohol. It is enough to inhale vapors or allow close contact with the skin. Symptoms of intoxication appear 7-12 hours after drinking. The main symptom is visual impairment: a veil, flickering flies. If you do not take action in time, the person will go blind.
Poisoning can be recognized by:
- Weakness, nausea and vomiting;
- Blueness of the skin and mucous membranes;
- Difficulty breathing;
- severe headache;
- convulsions;
- Tachycardia.
To prevent drinking from turning into a tragedy, you must remember:
- Do not drink suspicious liquid;
- Do not drink in the company of strangers;
- Buy alcohol only in licensed stores.
If, nevertheless, an accident has occurred, it is necessary to call an ambulance as soon as possible, and also take independent measures:
- Induce vomiting, do gastric lavage;
- Give activated charcoal.
The antidote of methyl alcohol is food grade. Therefore, it is recommended to drink the victim with ethyl alcohol or inject it intravenously.
But this should be done only with absolute certainty that the cause of the ailment is methanol poisoning. Otherwise, confusing the state with the usual intoxication with vodka, you can aggravate the situation of the victim.
How to test methyl alcohol
Due to the almost one hundred percent similarity of the two liquids, it is very difficult to determine by eye which of them is poisonous. Especially if you do it at home.
However, there are several ways to identify poison:
- With copper wire. It is necessary to twist a thin copper rod into a spiral and heat it white on fire. Then lower it into a bowl with the liquid being tested, and, taking it out, sniff the fumes, making forward movements with your hand towards your nose. Methyl alcohol will give itself out as an unpleasant, pungent smell of formaldehyde. A slight smell of rotten apples will come from ethyl.
- You can determine methyl alcohol at home by boiling point. Pour the liquid into a metal vessel and heat it over a fire. As soon as it starts to boil, lower the special thermometer and check the readings. The boiling point of methanol is almost 65 °, more precisely - 64.7 ° C. Ethyl alcohol has a higher boiling point - 78.4 ° C.
- It is easy to recognize methyl alcohol by the flame - what color it will burn. Pour liquid into two metal bowls and set on fire. Poisonous methyl alcohol burns greenish, while ethyl alcohol will be bluish.
- If you are afraid of experience with fire, it is possible to test the liquid with the help of potatoes. Immerse a piece of peeled root crop for several hours in the test liquid. Changed color and became pinkish - in front of you is methyl alcohol, remained unchanged - in a bowl of food.
However, it should be remembered that all such experiments are possible only for concentrated pure liquids. It is impossible to determine the presence of methanol in the mixture. There is only one proven method for this: if the origin of the liquid that smells of alcohol is unclear, it should never be drunk.
Everything happens mainly due to inattention or carelessness. Only a few can risk playing Russian roulette with him. If you want to keep your eyesight and stay alive, remember that you can't drink everything that burns. It is necessary to check the origin of the drink by conducting simple experiments. If they do not help, throw away the bottle without regret. Remember about health!
