a colourless liquid. It may be produced by the destrucitve distillation of wood; is nowadays synthesized from CO and H2 in the presence of catalysts. It is an important intermediate for numerous chemicals, and is used as a solvent and for denaturing alcohol. Poisonous when drunk it damages the optic nerve to produce blindness and also produces severe metabolic acidosis., väga mürgine värvusetu etanooli lõhnaga vedelik