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Methanol

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

  • 221 Accesses

Synonyms

Methyl alcohol

Definition

Methanol is the simplest alcohol, with the structural formula CH3OH. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommends using the term methanol rather than methyl alcohol. Methanol is a colorless, volatile, and flammable liquid under standard conditions. Its melting and boiling point are −97.8 °C and 64.7 °C, respectively. It is a product of anaerobic metabolism of certain groups of bacteria and of the abiotic reduction of carbon monoxide with hydrogen. It is toxic to humans and other organisms since it is converted in vivo to formic acid, which many organisms have trouble metabolizing. Methanol is widely distributed in interstellar space, where it was identified in 1970. It is particularly abundant in star-forming regions such as hot cores and hot corinos. Methanol has also been identified in comets. Methanol has been used as one of the carbon sources in simulated interstellar ices, and amino acids are formed by irradiation...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yokohama National University, 240-8501, Yokohama, Japan

    Kensei Kobayashi

Authors
  1. Kensei Kobayashi
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Correspondence to Kensei Kobayashi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Kobayashi, K. (2014). Methanol. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_980-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_980-4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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