A Method for the Specific Determination of Methanol in Plasma

An easy, rapid, cheap and reliable spectrophotometric method has been developed by modifying published methods for formic acid and methanol, to monitor blood methanol levels within the latent period of methanol intoxication. The calibration curve was linear between 5 and 200 mg L⁻¹ (y = 0.069, x = 0.036, r = 0.997). The detection limit was 5 mg L⁻¹. The CV values at 100 and 200 mg L⁻¹ were 6.22%±0.55 and 6.89%±1.51 and 1.97%±0.17 and 6.86%±1.43 for within‐run and between‐run precisions, respectively. The average recovery was 97.53%± 9.35 for concentrations of 100 and 200 mg L⁻¹. The method in the present study can be used to detect methanol levels in methanol intoxication, and also fulfils the needs of clinical and toxicology laboratories to detect and monitor the potential hazards arising from exposure to methanol. 1995 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain