Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022 - 29

Until now, methanol could be distinguished
from ethanol only in a chemical
analysis laboratory. Even hospitals require
relatively large, expensive equipment
in order to diagnose methanol
poisoning. This equipment is rarely
available in emerging and developing
countries, where outbreaks of methanol
poisoning are most prevalent.
The affordable handheld device is
based on a small metal oxide sensor. It is
able to detect adulterated alcohol within
two minutes by " sniffing out " methanol
and ethanol vapors from a beverage.
The tool can also be used to diagnose
methanol poisoning by analyzing a patient's
exhaled breath. In an emergency,
this helps ensure the appropriate measures
are taken without delay.
The highly sensitive alcohol sensor was
developed using nanoparticles of tin oxide
doped with palladium. Instead of analyzing
the sample directly with the sensor,
the two types of alcohol are first separated
in an attached tube filled with a porous
polymer, through which the sample air is
sucked by a small pump. As its molecules
are smaller, methanol passes through the
polymer tube more quickly than ethanol.
In this image, the sensor is inside the white casing. To its right is the polymer tube in which methanol
is separated from ethanol. (Photo: Van den Broek J et al. Nature Communications 2019)
In laboratory tests, the device detected
even trace amounts of methanol contamination
selectively in alcoholic beverages,
down to the legal limits. Furthermore,
the scientists analyzed breath samples
from a person who had previously drunk
rum. For test purposes, the researchers
subsequently added a small quantity of
methanol to the breath sample.
Methanol is being considered as a
potential future fuel, since vehicles can
be powered with methanol fuel cells. A
further application for the new technology
could be as an alarm sensor to detect
leaks in tanks.
For more information, contact Vanessa
Bleich at vanessa.bleich@hk.ethz.ch; +41 44
632 40 39.
Tech Briefs, May 2022
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/82321-722
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4/19/22 7:53 AM
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Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022

Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022 - Intro
Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022 - Sponsor
Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022 - Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022 - Cov2
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