How does monoethanolamine (MEA) increase pH?

I know pH of a solution increases with increase concentration of $\ce{OH-}$.


I'm wondering: when adding MEA, is the $\ce{OH-}$ group from the MEA breaking off, or is it the whole MEA molecule taking a hydrogen from $\ce{H2O}$ leaving the $\ce{OH-}$?




It is the latter case where "the whole MEA molecule is taking a hydrogen from $\ce{H2O}$ leaving the $\ce{OH-}$". Alcohols very seldom acty as arrhenius bases adding $\ce{OH-}$ to solution. One exception is [triphenylmethanol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triphenylmethanol) but I cannot think of a second that isn't a variation of the given example. Instead the unbonded electron pair of the amine will abstract a hydrogen from water to form an [ammonium ion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium) leaving a hydroxide counter ion and thus raising the pH.


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