Laboratory Uses of Methanol
- Solvent: It is a polar solvent used to dissolve a wide range of organic compounds and extract active compounds from plants.
- Chromatography: High-purity grades, such as HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) or LC-MS grade, are essential as a mobile phase component for reliable and reproducible separations and analyses.
- Chemical Synthesis: Methanol is a fundamental building block in organic synthesis for creating other chemicals, including formaldehyde.
- Fixative/Preservative: It is used as a fixative in histology and cytology to halt enzymatic activity and preserve cell structures for study.
- Denaturing Agent: It is frequently added to ethanol (ethyl alcohol) for industrial use to make it poisonous and unsuitable for drinking
