What are the hazards of methanol to human body

Formaldehyde is a harmful substance and it is also a situation we often encounter in life. Generally, it is mainly after we have renovated the house that the formaldehyde content in the house will exceed the standard. This is also a phenomenon that is particularly harmful to our body. We must pay attention to such problems after renovating the house and pay enough attention to it. Formaldehyde can cause us to have serious diseases. What are the hazards of methanol to the human body? Let’s take a look at it below.

After methanol is absorbed into the body, it can be quickly distributed in various tissues of the body. Among them, the content in cerebrospinal fluid, blood, bile and urine is the highest, the content in aqueous humor and vitreous humor is also relatively high, and the lowest content in bone marrow and adipose tissue. Methanol is metabolized in the liver and oxidized into formaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase, and then into formic acid. This product is slowly oxidized in the body, only 1/7 of ethanol, and is also slowly excreted, with a significant accumulation effect. Unoxidized methanol is excreted from the body through the respiratory tract and kidneys, and some is slowly excreted through the gastrointestinal tract. It is estimated that if a person inhales methanol in the air at a concentration of 39.3 to 65.5 g/m^3 for 30 to 60 minutes, he may be poisoned. Oral intake of 5-10 ml can cause severe poisoning; oral intake of 15 ml at a time, or a cumulative intake of 124-164 ml in divided doses over 2 days can cause blindness. There are reports that taking 30 ml orally at one time can be fatal.

Methanol mainly acts on the nervous system, has a significant anesthetic effect, and can cause cerebral edema. The anesthetic concentration of methanol is closer to the LC, so it is more dangerous. It has a special selective effect on the optic nerve and retina, which can easily cause optic nerve atrophy and lead to blindness. Methanol vapor is a strong irritant to the respiratory mucosa. The toxicity of methanol is related to the accumulation of its metabolites formaldehyde and formic acid. It was previously believed that the toxic effects were mainly caused by formaldehyde, which can inhibit the oxidative phosphorylation process of the retina, making it impossible to synthesize ATP in the membrane, causing cell degeneration, and finally causing optic nerve atrophy. Recent studies have shown that formaldehyde is quickly metabolized into formic acid, and metabolic acidosis and eye damage caused by acute poisoning are mainly related to the formic acid content. Methanol inhibits certain oxidase systems in the body, inhibits the aerobic decomposition of sugars, causes the accumulation of lactic acid and other organic acids and formic acid, and causes acidosis. It is generally believed that the toxicity of methanol is caused by methanol itself and its metabolites.

The above is an introduction to the hazards of methanol to the human body. When we decorate our houses, formaldehyde emissions are the most critical issue. We must pay special attention to such issues. Not only should we pay attention to ventilation, but we also need to take various measures to remove them. Generally, growing plants at home or placing activated carbon can play a role.