Methyl alcohol – the connection relating to group of one-atomic alcohols. Methanol is highly toxic, only 10 ml of this substance are capable to cause severe damage of the central nervous system, a blindness, and 30 ml – death. For this reason there is a need of its identification. It is much simpler to carry out the analysis of methyl alcohol in toxicological laboratory, but it is quite possible to make the simplest definition even in house conditions.
Externally methanol (technical alcohol) is very similar to ethyl alcohol. It has approximately the same density and coefficient of a refraction (ability to refract sunshine). Has the same smell and color. In vitro to distinguish methanol from ethanol will not make big there. In house conditions it is more difficult to make it. However there are several ways to distinguish ethyl alcohol from methyl and without the difficult equipment.