May 21st, 2009 | 
Author: An alcohol made undrinkable because of its methanol content, methylated spirits have different industrial and practical uses. It is also known as metho and IPA and it is particularly known as denatured alcohol in the United States. Generally, it is a mixture of 95% ethanol or ethyl alcohol and 5% methanol or methyl alcohol. While ethanol can be consumed as an alcoholic beverage, methanol is considered toxic. The mixture is termed as “methylated” to remind people of its toxic characteristic, thus preventing them from drinking it. It should be known that ingestion of methyl alcohol can cause blindness, and even death.
As mentioned, metho has different uses and it can be bought in hardware stores, supermarkets, service stations, and camping outdoor stores. It can be used as a fuel for backpacking stoves. Another use of the chemical product is as a solvent for cleaning applications, just like removing ink stains from upholstery and clothes and removing water-based paint. It can also be used to kill mealybug. Moreover, one industrial use of metho is as a solvent for shellac in knotting, spirit varnishes and French polish. Another thing is that it can be a sanding aid, as it helps make removing the excess dust that results from sanding wood easier. It is because the substance does not open the wood grain the way that water would.
Moreover, the alcohol has properties that can result to accidents if it is not handled or used properly. It should be known that it is highly flammable and as mentioned, it is toxic. Another thing to take note about the alcohol is that its flame is clear, almost invisible in normal daylight conditions. Thus, certain precautionary measures must be taken into consideration.
To avoid causing explosion and eventually fire, the chemical product must not be stored or used in places where ignition sources are found. Thus, it is not advisable to store it in the kitchen as the kitchen tend to have electrical and heating equipment which can be sources of ignition. On the other hand, when you are using a metho burner and you want to refill it, make sure that you refill only after the burner is cool enough to touch. You should do this so as not to ignite the fuel bottle by accident.
Moreover, always keep the alcohol’s container tightly closed. Make sure to label the container, so that others would not take it as something else and use it for an inappropriate purpose. In order to avoid skin contact of the substance, one must wear suitable protective clothing and gloves.
Now, as accidents can happen, it is very important that you know the immediate and proper things to do. When someone swallows the mixture, for instance, it is a no-no to induce vomiting. Instead, give the victim plenty of water to drink and watch out for aspiration if vomiting occurs. Do not forget to immediately seek medical help. In case of eye contact, the immediate thing that you can do is to irrigate the affected eye with water for at least 15 minutes. Be careful not to wash the substance from one eye to another. Seek medical help if irritation persists. In case of inhalation, go to an area that has fresh air and rest. If any improvement or recovery is not seen, seek medical attention.
Despite the methylated spirits’ toxic nature, there are still known cases of people who swallow the substance intentionally. If you are using the chemical product and you think someone in your household is capable of doing it, then make sure that you store the chemical product in a secure and safe place.
Jo is a writer for ‘ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd’ (http://www.reagent.co.uk), a well-known UK stationed chemical firm that makes, has a supply of and supplies a huge selection of high quality chemical products including specialty chemicals, analytical laboratory chemicals and solid chemicals. If your company is seeking superior quality organic solvents for example Methylated spirit or has other industrial compound needs for uses similar to chemical mixture, analytical purposes and cleaning then take a look at ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd.
Article Source: Some Helpful Tips on the Usage and Suitable Handling of Methylated Spirits
