What is Bright Green... - Laura Elliot

WHAT IS BRIGHT GREEN AND TASTES LIKE GATORADE?

Ethylene glycol is the main ingredient in antifreeze. In your car`s engine, water is used to absorb excess heat as a result of combustion. However, this water is prone to boiling in hot temperatures, and freezing in cold temperatures. As water freezes its molecules pack together into a crystal lattice. The presence of antifreeze in water interferes in the interactions among water molecules. This means that a lower temperature is required to freeze the water in your engine! This process is called freezing point depression. Similarly, the presence of antifreeze in solution hinders waters ability to evaporate out of solution, increasing its boiling point. Ethylene glycol is an exceptional compound to use in antifreeze because it has a high boiling point, low freezing point, is miscible with water and other alcohols, and does not easily evaporate.

Ethylene glycol is very toxic and has resulted in the death of thousands of pets each year. Ethylene glycol is problematic because it has a sweet taste. Antifreeze is often died a green colour, so that any leakage can be tracked. The toxic properties of ethylene glycol have made it a scandalous murder weapon. Antifreeze poisoning is most commonly seen in murder cases among husband and wife. When ethylene glycol is ingested, the liver oxidizes it to glycolic acid. This acid enters the blood and lowers its pH, resulting in a condition called metabolic acidosis. As blood becomes more and more acidic, its carbon dioxide content rises. This is problematic because carbon dioxide binds more tightly too hemoglobin than oxygen, decreasing oxygen transport to organs and tissues. Symtoms of metabolic acidosis include hyperventilation and vomiting. Luckily, the blood`s carbon dioxide concentration is normally kept quite low! One treatment for ethylene glycol poisoning is the consumption of ethyl alcohol.

Ethyl alcohol is seen in everyday alcoholic beverages. The liver enzyme which metabolizes ethylene glycol to glycolic acid also metabolizes ethyl alcohol. However, this enzyme has an increased affinity to ethyl alcohol. This means that if enough ethyl alcohol is ingested, there is a chance that the antifreeze will be unmetabolized, and simply excreted through the urine! Although ethyl alcohol may be effective, medical care should still be found immediately.