Methanol Poisoning

Why in the News?

• In Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, at least 34 people have died and around 100 others have been hospitalized after consuming spurious liquor, commonly known as hooch.
• Hooch/Spurious Liquor
  • About
    • Hooch, a term often used to describe low-quality alcohol, originates from 'Hoochinoo,' a native Alaskan tribe known for making potent liquor.
    • Unlike branded alcohol produced in factories with advanced equipment and strict quality control, hooch is typically made in crude, often homemade, settings without any quality checks.
  • Process
    • Like all alcohol, it is made through fermentation and distillation, typically using local yeast and sugar or fruit.
    • This process not only produces ethanol but also methanol, a toxic alcohol.
    • If distillation is done incorrectly, the resulting hooch can contain dangerous levels of methanol, which can cause poisoning, cerebral edema, hemorrhage, and death.
  • Dangers associated with Hooch
    • The fermented mixture, distilled, contains more than consumable alcohol (ethanol).
• Effects of Methanol on Human Health
  • Methanol, when ingested, can cause severe health effects such as blindness, metabolic acidosis, and neurological damage.
  • It is metabolized into formaldehyde and formic acid in the body, leading to toxicity that can be fatal if untreated.
• Regulation of Methanol in India
  • It is listed in Schedule-I of the “Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989.”
  • The 2018 Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations set maximum methanol limits for different alcoholic drinks, such as "absent" in coconut fenny and 50 grams per 100 liters in country liquor.
  • The quality of methanol is regulated by the “Indian Standard” (IS 517), and the Tamil Nadu Denatured Spirit, Methyl Alcohol and Varnish (French Polish) Rules, 1959 specify the required labeling for methanol packaging.
• How can Methanol Poisoning be Treated?
  • When methanol is ingested, the body takes time to eliminate it.
  • There are two immediate treatments for methanol poisoning:

1. Administering pharmaceutical-grade ethanol, which competes with methanol for ADH enzymes and prevents methanol from being metabolized into formaldehyde.
2. Administering the antidote fomepizole, which slows ADH enzyme activity, allowing the body to excrete formaldehyde quickly and avoid more severe effects.

---

Limbless Amphibian Discovered at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

• The striped caecilian (Ichthyophis spp), which is a limbless amphibian was discovered in Kaziranga, marking the first recorded presence of the species in the 1307.49 sq. km park.
• This finding occurred during a rapid herpetofauna survey.

About Caecilians

• These are elongated, segmented, limbless amphibians classified in the order Gymnophiona or Apoda (without legs).
• They belong to the same group as frogs and salamanders and resemble earthworms or snakes due to their lack of limbs.
• The name ‘Caecilian’ means blind; some species are eyeless, while others have small eyes hidden under their skin.
• There are about 200 known species of caecilians.
• Habitat
  • Most caecilians inhabit moist tropical and subtropical regions of South and Central America, South and Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Almost all Caecilians are terrestrial but elusive as they spend most of their lives underground.
• Other Features
  • The smaller caecilian species are less than three inches long, while the largest, Caecilia thompsoni from Colombia, can grow to nearly five feet.
  • They have a hard, thick skull with a pointy snout, aiding their movement through dirt or mud.
  • Their shiny skin, ringed with folds called annuli, usually comes in shades of gray, brown, black, orange or yellow, and some have tiny fish-like scales within these rings.
  • Caecilians also have short sensory tentacles between their eyes and nostrils that help them navigate and find prey.

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

• Location: Situated in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
• This national park was established in 1974 and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• It has been declared a Tiger Reserve in 2007.
• Fauna: It harbors two-thirds of the world's greater one-horned rhinoceros population and is the largest undisturbed area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplains.
  • Iconic species such as leopards, royal Bengal tigers, and a significant bird population of approximately 478 species are found.
• Flora: The park features a diverse vegetation ranging from eastern wet alluvial grasslands to semi-evergreen and tropical moist deciduous forests.
  • Known for its dense elephant grass, swamplands, water lilies, water hyacinths, lotus, and rattan cane, it supports a rich variety of wildlife.

---

India Ranked Third in Global Domestic Airline Market, 2024

• India has risen to the third-largest domestic airline market globally, up from fifth place a decade ago, based on Official Airline Guide (OAG) data analysis.
• Domestic airline capacity in India has doubled from 7.9 million seats in April 2014 to 15.5 million seats in April 2024.
• This growth has pushed Brazil and Indonesia to the fourth and fifth positions, with capacities of 9.7 million and 9.2 million seats respectively.
• The United States and China maintain the top two spots with 86.1 million and 67.8 million seats respectively.
• India's annual growth rate of 6.9% in domestic airline capacity is the highest among the top five countries.
• Low-cost carriers (LCCs) dominate India's domestic market with a share of 78.4% in April 2024, the highest among the top five markets.
• IndiGo has significantly contributed to this expansion, increasing its market share from 32% to 62% over the past decade, with its domestic capacity growing at 13.9% annually.
• Despite this growth, India faces infrastructure challenges with only 119 airports offering domestic flights, compared to 250 in China and 656 in the US.
• IndiGo anticipates a doubling of domestic passengers from 155 million in 2024 to 350 million by 2030, driving the need for expanded infrastructure.

---

World Rainforest Day, 2024

• It is annually observed on 22nd June and was first observed in 2017 by the Rainforest Partnership.
• The goal was to increase awareness of the significance of rainforests and promote their preservation and conservation efforts.
• The theme for 2024 is "Empowering the World in Defense of Our Rainforests."
• Importance of Rainforest
  • Biodiversity: They are home to millions of plant and animal species.
  • Climate Regulation: They act as Earth’s thermostat, helping control global temperatures.
  • Medicine Source: Many medicines come from rainforest plants.
  • Indigenous Homes: Rainforests support numerous indigenous communities.
  • Carbon Storage: Rainforests store vast amounts of carbon dioxide, reducing greenhouse gas effects.

The Amazon: Earth’s Largest Rainforest

• These expansive tropical rainforests span the Amazon River drainage basin in northern South America, covering approximately 6,000,000 square kilometers.
• Tropical forests, found within 28 degrees north or south of the equator, feature dense, closed-canopy vegetation.
• They experience heavy rainfall exceeding 200 cm annually, occurring seasonally or throughout the year.
• Temperatures in the region are consistently high, ranging from 20°C to 35°C.
• Encompassing roughly 40% of Brazil's total land area, the Amazon Rainforest is bordered by the Guiana Highlands to the north, the Andes Mountains to the west, the Brazilian central plateau to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.