Question

In tragedies caused by drinking spurious liquor, the active agent causing such tragedies is:
1. Methyl alcohol
2. Ethyl alcohol
3. Amyl alcohol
4. Benzyl alcohol

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : Methyl alcohol

The correct answer is Methyl alcohol.

• In tragedies caused by drinking spurious liquor, the active agent causing such tragedies is Methyl alcohol.
• Methyl alcohol, which is commonly used for antifreeze, can also be added to illicit liquor to increase its alcohol content.
• Methanol is highly toxic to humans, and ingestion of just 10ml can result in blindness, and 30ml or more is usually fatal.
• Drinking just 25-90 mL of methanol can be fatal without proper medical treatment.
• Since methanol is an industrial chemical, it should not be consumed in any quantity, just as people would normally not mix gasoline or other industrial chemicals into legitimate alcoholic beverages.
• Hence, option 1 is correct. 

• Amyl alcohol :
  • Amyl alcohol is used as a solvent and in esterification, by which is produced amyl acetate and other important products.
  • Commercial amyl alcohols are colourless liquids, slightly soluble in water, and having a characteristic penetrating odour.
• Ethyl alcohol :
  • Ethyl Alcohol is a clear, colourless liquid with a wine-like odor.
  • It is used in alcoholic beverages, as a solvent, and in making other chemicals.
  • The only type of alcohol that humans can safely drink is ethanol.
  • We use the other two types of alcohol for cleaning and manufacturing, not for making drinks.
• Benzyl alcohol :
  •  Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol used in a wide variety of cosmetic formulations as a fragrance component, preservative, solvent, and viscosity-decreasing agent.
  • Benzyl alcohol is used as a general solvent for inks, waxes, shellacs, paints, lacquers, and epoxy resin coatings.
  • Thus it can be used in paint strippers, especially when combined with compatible viscosity enhancers to encourage the mixture to cling to painted surfaces.