Alcohol: Difference between revisions
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=== Chemical Formula === | === Chemical Formula === | ||
An alcohol is any [[Molecule|molecule]] with the chemical structure ROH. This means any molecule with | An alcohol is any [[Molecule|molecule]] with the chemical structure ROH. This means any molecule with a [[Hydroxide|hydroxide]] functional group bonded to a [[Carbon|carbon]] [[Atom|atom]] which forms part of a generic R group. Common examples of alcohols are [[Methanol|methanol]] (chemical formula CH<sub>3</sub>OH), [[Ethanol|ethanol]] (chemical formula C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>5</sub>OH) and [[Petroleum|petroleum]] or [[Petrol|petrol]] (chemical formula C<sub>27</sub>H<sub>44</sub>O<sub>6</sub>) <ref name="null">http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=petrol&amp;a=*C.petrol-_*Chemical-&amp;a=*DPClash.GasPriceE.petrol-_*AllGrades.dflt-</ref>. | ||
=== Alcohol Consumption === | === Alcohol Consumption === | ||
Ethanol is commonly consumed and can have a lot of negative health complications either through direct damage (for example to the [[Liver|liver]]) | Ethanol is commonly consumed and can have a lot of negative health complications; either through direct damage (for example to the [[Liver|liver]]) or by exacerbating other issues. There were 6769 alcohol related deaths in 2008, of which 4400 were caused by alcoholic liver disease <ref>Office for National Statistics: Alcohol Deaths (2008) Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1091 Accessed: 23/07/2010</ref>. | ||
The speed at which alcohol is [[Metabolism|metabolised]] can have an effect on drinking habits and drinking effects <ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=search&term=11762132</ref>. "Most ethanol elimination occurs by oxidation to [[Acetaldehyde|acetaldehyde]] and [[Acetate|acetate]], [[Catalysts|catalyzed]] principally by [[Alcohol dehydrogenase|alcohol dehydrogenase]] (ADH) and [[Aldehyde dehydrogenase|aldehyde dehydrogenase]] (ALDH)" <ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=search&amp;amp;term=11762132</ref>. According to the NHS 1 unit of alcohol is metabolised every hour on average <ref>http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/853.aspx?categoryid=87&subcategoryid=871</ref>. This is based on a healthy person of normal weight and with no issues relating to the metabolic pathways associated with the [[Metabolism|metabolism]] of alcohol.<br> | The speed at which alcohol is [[Metabolism|metabolised]] can have an effect on drinking habits and drinking effects <ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&amp;cmd=search&amp;term=11762132</ref>. "Most ethanol elimination occurs by oxidation to [[Acetaldehyde|acetaldehyde]] and [[Acetate|acetate]], [[Catalysts|catalyzed]] principally by [[Alcohol dehydrogenase|alcohol dehydrogenase]] (ADH) and [[Aldehyde dehydrogenase|aldehyde dehydrogenase]] (ALDH)" <ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&amp;cmd=search&amp;amp;amp;term=11762132</ref>. According to the NHS, 1 unit of alcohol is metabolised every hour on average <ref>http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/853.aspx?categoryid=87&amp;subcategoryid=871</ref>. This figure is based on a healthy person of normal weight and with no issues relating to the metabolic pathways associated with the [[Metabolism|metabolism]] of alcohol.<br> | ||
=== References === | === References === | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Revision as of 16:37, 23 October 2012
Chemical Formula
An alcohol is any molecule with the chemical structure ROH. This means any molecule with a hydroxide functional group bonded to a carbon atom which forms part of a generic R group. Common examples of alcohols are methanol (chemical formula CH3OH), ethanol (chemical formula C2H5OH) and petroleum or petrol (chemical formula C27H44O6) [1].
Alcohol Consumption
Ethanol is commonly consumed and can have a lot of negative health complications; either through direct damage (for example to the liver) or by exacerbating other issues. There were 6769 alcohol related deaths in 2008, of which 4400 were caused by alcoholic liver disease [2].
The speed at which alcohol is metabolised can have an effect on drinking habits and drinking effects [3]. "Most ethanol elimination occurs by oxidation to acetaldehyde and acetate, catalyzed principally by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)" [4]. According to the NHS, 1 unit of alcohol is metabolised every hour on average [5]. This figure is based on a healthy person of normal weight and with no issues relating to the metabolic pathways associated with the metabolism of alcohol.
References
- ↑ http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=petrol&a=*C.petrol-_*Chemical-&a=*DPClash.GasPriceE.petrol-_*AllGrades.dflt-
- ↑ Office for National Statistics: Alcohol Deaths (2008) Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1091 Accessed: 23/07/2010
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=search&term=11762132
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=search&amp;amp;term=11762132
- ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/853.aspx?categoryid=87&subcategoryid=871