ChemistryMarichi · UPSC
Methanol vs Ethanol: Ek Carbon ka Farak, Zindagi-Maut ka Farak
Dono rang-heen, dono ki smell milti-julti — phir ek 'daaru' aur doosra zeher kaise?
Socho pehle… phir dekho jawab
Methanol (CH3OH) aur ethanol (C2H5OH) dekhne mein same hain, par body inhe alag tarah todti hai. Methanol liver mein toot kar formaldehyde aur formic acid banata hai — yahi aankh ki nerve aur jaan ke liye khatarnak hai.
Liver ka enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase dono alcohols pe kaam karta hai. Ethanol se acetaldehyde aur phir acetic acid banta hai, jo body sambhaal leti hai. Methanol se formaldehyde aur formic acid banta hai — formic acid acidosis karta hai aur optic nerve ko nuksaan pahuncha kar andhapan tak la sakta hai.
Mazedaar twist: ilaaj mein kabhi-kabhi ethanol ya fomepizole diya jaata hai. Kyun? Enzyme ethanol ko prefer karta hai, to methanol dheere tootta hai aur body usey bahar nikaal sakti hai. Yeh competitive inhibition ka textbook example hai.
Methanol ko 'wood spirit' bhi kehte hain. Industry mein solvent aur fuel ke roop mein sasta milta hai — isi liye illicit sharaab mein milaaya jaata hai. Governance angle: 'intoxicating liquors' State List ka vishay hai, aur Article 47 (DPSP) nashe par rok ki baat karta hai. Regulation ka sawaal hai — industrial methanol ko track kaise karein bina legit industry ko cheeni kiye.
Ghar pe try karo
Ghar ki kisi bhi bottle (sanitizer, spirit, thinner) ka label padho — ingredient mein 'ethanol', 'isopropyl alcohol' ya 'methanol' kya likha hai? Note karo ki kin bottles pe 'not for consumption' warning hai.
Wow!
Sirf ek CH2 group ka farak — aur wahi farak tay karta hai ki enzyme ka output body ke liye 'sirka' jaisa hoga ya zeher.
3 sawaal
- 'Wood spirit' kise kehte hain?
Jawab dekho
Methanol. Methanol pehle lakdi ke destructive distillation se banta tha, isliye wood spirit.
- Methanol poisoning mein andhapan mukhya roop se kis cheez se hota hai?
Jawab dekho
Formic acid. Methanol → formaldehyde → formic acid; formic acid optic nerve ko damage karta hai.
- Trap: Nimnlikhit mein kaunsa sahi hai?
Jawab dekho
Ethanol methanol poisoning ke ilaaj mein enzyme ke liye compete karke madad kar sakta hai. Competitive inhibition. Baaki galat: dono rang-heen hain, liquor State List mein hai, aur C2H5OH ethanol hai.
NCERT se jodo: GS3 — Science & Technology; GS2 — Health aur governance; NCERT Class 12 Chemistry — alcohols, phenols and ethers