New Device Detects Poisoned Alcohol

Scientists from Colombia have invented a device to track the amount of methanol in an alcoholic drink. Higher level of methanol in alcohol can render a person blind and sometimes prove fatal, resulting in death.

Methanol is present in drinks, which are distilled at home in a wrong way or in it is mixed intentionally with standard drinks to gain profit. Since methanol smells, tastes and appears similar to ethanol, which is present in alcohol, it cannot be easily identified.

The device costing $5 consists of a reusable chip and uses an antenna to analyze the proportion of ethanol and methanol in an alcoholic drink. Scientists are working on improvising the design so that readings are directly sent to mobile phones.

Source-Medindia