Methanol and their applications:
Methanol has chemical formula of CH3OH.It can be referred to wood alcohol and methyl alcohol. Besides,it has one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms arranged as methyl group(CH3) which is joined to an oxygen and a hydrogen atom in a hydroxyl group(OH).The physical properties of methanol include tasteless,colourless,flammable liquid that is flammable and giving a slight smell.The uses of methanol includes antifreeze,fuel and production of biodiesel.Under Energy Policy Act of 1992,methanol can be used as alternative fuel.However,the usage of methanol in vehicles decreases since 1990 s and automakers do not manufacture methanol vehicles.

Methanol can be produced through the combination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.This process can  be carried out by reacting methanol with steam.The reaction mechanism must be carried out under certain pressure and using catalyst.Besides,methanol can also be produced through home distillation.During the process of fermentation beverages high in pectin such as grapes and berries,methanol is formed. Methanol is produced from pectin,which consists of mainly of methyl esters of galactose.Methyl esters combine with water to produce methanol when pectin breaks down by enzymes introduced by microorganisms.

No doubt,methanol has many applications and uses in our life.Firstly,methanol can be used to manufacture other chemicals such as formaldehyde.Formaldehyde is a material which is needed for manufacture of plastics.Next,methanol can be used to produce biodiesel.Biodiesel is used in pure form in  top-end racing engines,drag racers and radio-controlled model airplanes.However,it is still considered as alternative to fossil fuels for general use.Biodiesel can be burned in some diesel vehicles without expensive modifications to engines.During combustion,methanol produces carbon dioxide and water but do not smoke,soot and harmful hydrocarbon compounds.Renewable resources can be used to manufacture methanol with a low cost.Besides,methanol can turn vegetable oil into smaller molecules that are more suitable as fuel and produce glycerol as by-product by heating methanol with vegetable oil along with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide as catalyst.Due to methanol's lower prices,easy to transport and readily available,it can be used as transportation fuels.It is an undeniable fact that methanol fuelling programs are expanded or adopted by many countries.Another factor that methanol can be used as transportation fuels is that methanol has high octane rating that allows for superior vehicle performance compares to gasoline vehicles.Next,methanol produces less toxic emmissions,less pollutants such as carbon monoxide and less smog emissions.Nowadays,municipal and private waste water treatment facilities use methanol to remove nitrogen from effluent streams.Firstly,the waste water is collected in a treatment facility and has a high level of ammonia.Ammonia is converted into nitrate through biodegradation process.However,if nutrient rich nitrate in sewage effluent is discharged into environment,it creates miles long algae booms that sap oxygen and sunlight from aquatic life.Due to methanol's quick biodegrades,it can revitalize waterways tainted by effects of nitrates.

Methanol is an ideal hydrogen carrier.This is because it has more hydrogen atoms in each gallon than any other liquid that is stable in normal conditions.Thus,it can act as fuel cell hydrogen carrier which develops different types of fuel cells which play large role in our energy economy.Methanol can also be used to create steam to drive turbines to generate electricity.This is an good option in country which is rich in resources and there are a few of new projects still in the process of exploring the use of methanol to generate electricity.Furthermore,methanol is used to convert triglycerides of different types of oil into usable biodiesel.This process is called biodiesel transesterification.During the reaction,methanol reacts with triglycerides oils contained in vegetable oils,animal fats and recylcled grease.This reaction fatty acid alkyl esters and glycerins.However,methanol is corrosive to some metals,especially aluminium.Thus,the storage tanks,pipelines and engine parts used to hold methanol need to be replaced.Methanol is even more toxic than other fuels such as gasoline.Next,methanol can be used in laboratory as raw chemical material to carry the experiment such as Lucas test.

Besides,uses and daily applications of methanol also can be included as shown in table on the right.Last but not least,methanol has wide application and uses in our life.It is related to us in daily life from home or business to electronics.

Cooking With Organic Chemistry!

Chef all around the world has been working their ways through the combination of chemistry of food from every different kind of ingredients to produce one of the best recipe. Every single combination is important as the flavour of food changes as the time of cooking, amount of ingredients and other aspect will be counted in cooking. Chemistry reaction has taken place even before you start to cook. The combination of recipe from the preparation of food has caused reaction to occur from the very beginning. This combination of chemistry reaction caused a vital difference from the way it taste, smell, and looks. Cooking oil has been widely use in cooking and as a component of daily food consumption where it used for frying, baking and other types of cooking. It is also used in food preparation and flavoring that doesn't involve heat. Cooking oil is normally in a liquid state in room temperature but some oil are solid state in room temperature and it belong to a group called lipids that does not dissolve in water.  Cooking oil can be extracted from plant and animal.

There are many different type of cooking oil available and each of these cooking oil have different saturation of fats and other factors. Healthy cooking oils play an important part in our healthy eating plan. Some oils are high in saturated and trans fat which can lead to high cholesterol, heart problem and obesity. Good oil contain monosaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are good for lowering cholesterol and preventing health problems. Vegetable oils come from many plants. Examples of vegetable oils are lavender, olive, palm, rapeseed and sunflower. The oil contain a lot of energy and are used as food or other uses such as making fuel. Vegetable oils used in cooking because it has a higher boiling point than water which boils at 100°C. The cooked food usually has more energy because some of the oil remains on the food after cooking. Eating healthy vegetable oil is very important as some vegetable oils are better for health than others. Oils containing many unsaturated fats are more healthy than oils with a large proportion of saturated fats. Unsaturated means that the molecule contains one or more double bonds between carbon atoms. Saturated means that the molecule is bonded with single bond with higher hydrogen molecules. In example, palm oil is more saturated than sunflower oil and therefore it's more recommended to consume sunflower oil than palm oil as it is more healthy and less risk on health problems. Vegetable oils is sustainable as fuels for diesel engine depends on their physical, chemical and combustion characteristics as well as the type of engine used and operation conditions. They are biodegradable, non-toxic and have a potential to significantly reduce pollution.

Perfection with Chemical.

Its amazing how cosmetics or any beauty product can transform one person to look completely different. without any doubt, it does give everyone the confidence to face people. This is an advantage, but who knows the dark side of  it? is it safe?

Humans strive to be perfect each day, however, there's a quote saying that nobody is perfect. The truth is, humans are never satisfied with what they have. Regardless whether its a female or a male, both strive to look perfect everyday. Each time the person stands in front of the mirror, there is only one motive. To look perfect and flawless. What they don't know is that they are applying chemical on their skins and body. what is the point of a day of temporary perfection, when you get a future of permanent flawlessness ? 


Especially for women, for example, in their everyday life, they apply cosmetics such as lip sticks, eye shadow, mascara, beige, blushers perfume, or even  shampoos, deodorant, and many more. Take lip stick for example, lead is present in lip stick. It contains neurotoxin which can cause brain damage and developmental delays. talc is present in eye shadow, which is a type of carcinogen  for human. it will cause ovarian cancer, and when it is inhaled for a long period of time, it may lead to a formation of lung tumor. Another example, the blusher, is the most common type of cosmetic products used. It contains Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and EthylParabens  which causes rashes, irritations, and may lead to hormonal disruptions. Perfumes, contain benzaldehyde, will cause irritation to eyes and nose, and cause nauseousness, or worse, to kidney damage.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate or known as SLS present in shampoo facial cleansers, etc are industrially used for car wash & laundry detergents, engine degreasers, etc. imagine applying those on your hair everyday! SLS is a strong detergent which can cause eye irritation  skins rashes, hair loss and mouth ulceration. Phthalates found in hair sprays reduces testosterone production and alters the development reproductive organs, particularly in male infants.

Not only women are using a lot of chemical products on their body.For men, they are also applying quite an amount of chemical cosmetic products on their body in their everyday life. For example, they are using shaving foam, hairspray, hair wax, perfume, facial cleansing gel, oral care, hair dye and many more. One of the common chemical cosmetic product used by men in everyday life is the shaving foam. Shaving foam was used by every men in their daily life to shave their moustache more smoothly. But how many men knew that there  is an organic chemical named formaldehyde contained in the shaving foam?Formaldehyde is an organic chemical which is harmful to us. It causes multiple health concerns such as cancer, immune system damage, genetic damage, triggering asthma and eye irritation. For another example, hair dye, which contain an organic chemical named toulene. Toulene in hair dye acts as a solvent to improve adhesion and gloss. It's negative side are causing human reproductive and development system damage. Besides that, toulene can also be carcinogenic causing liver and kidney damages.

Any second thoughts? Basically , we are all using chemicals to make ourselves perfect. But is it worth it to sacrifice your true beauty with chemicals which may harm your body , or even shorten your life span?