Methanol is a highly toxic chemical often used illegally used to adulterate counterfeit alcoholic beverages. Even small quantities can cause blindness or death. The recent case of a couple who died in Vietnam reported attention to the dangers related to the consumption of unrequented alcohol.
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, is a highly toxic chemical for man. It presents itself as a colorless liquid with a sweet smell and is mainly used in the chemical industry for the production of formaldehyde, acetic acid and methylmetacrylate, fundamental components for the manufacture of plastics, paints and stickers. It is also used as an industrial solvent and as an additive for fuels in order to improve the efficiency of the engines and reduce emissions.
Despite its usefulness in the industrial field, methanol is extremely dangerous if ingested. Once in the body, the liver metabolizes it transforming it into formaldehyde and, subsequently, into tingle acid. This substance accumulates in the blood, causing metabolic acidosis and cellular damage, in particular to the central nervous system and the optical nerve. The initial symptoms of the intoxication include nausea, vomiting, headache and dizziness. In severe cases, blindness, coma and death may occur. Just 10 milliliters are enough to cause permanent vision damage and about 30 milliliters are lethal.
Metanol poisoning often occurs following the consumption of counterfeit alcoholic beverages. In different parts of the world, particularly in Southeast Asia, methanol is illegally added to craftsmanship liqueurs to increase its volume and alcoholic gradation. This practice, in addition to being illegal, exposes consumers to fatal risks. Metanol poisoning is not an isolated phenomenon and continues to reap victims in different countries, especially among tourists who buy alcohol from unregulated sources.
The couple who died in Vietnam
The recent case of Greta Marie Oteson, a 33 -year -old British social media manager, and the boyfriend Arno Els Quinton, 36 years old, has rekindled the spotlight on this danger. The couple, who was on vacation in Hoi An, in Vietnam, would buy two bottles of homemade limoncello from a local restaurant on Christmas Eve. The next day, Greta had sent a message to the parents describing a strong drunking and vision problems. Despite the symptoms, the couple had decided to rest instead of looking for medical assistance. Two days later, the staff of the resort in which they stayed found their lifeless bodies. The investigations confirmed that the consummate liqueur was contaminated by methanol.
This episode represents a further warning on the risks of counterfeit alcoholic beverages. The only way to protect yourself from these intoxications is to buy alcohol exclusively from safe and certified sources, avoiding craft products without controls.