How to check what kind of alcohol. Differences between drinking alcohol and technical alcohol

Purified (rectified) ethanol is an important component of many medicinal tinctures and alcoholic beverages. It is used in the food industry as a preservative, and is used in the preparation of certain dishes and confectionery products as a leavening agent, a softener for tough meat, and simply a savory additive. Ethyl alcohol is used to increase the strength of some alcoholic beverages - for example, wine, liqueurs, vodka, beer.

Naturally, it is important to maintain the quality of ethanol. Although in its pure form this substance is counterfeited less often than other alcohol, its low-quality technical mixture with methanol, a substance from the same group, but much more toxic, is found on the market. The use of such a product results in severe poisoning with irreversible destruction of the nervous system, including disability and death. The presence of fusel oils in unrefined alcohol, which act as a potential carcinogen and destroy the epithelium of the digestive organs, does not have the best effect on the body.

How to check the quality of ethyl alcohol?

Food ethanol is rectified (separated) from the alcohol distillate obtained by distilling fermented raw materials (grain, potatoes, corn, etc.) with subsequent purification from fusel oils, aldehydes, ethers and other impurities. Another industrial production method is ethylene hydration. In both cases, the alcohol must undergo purification, only in this case it will become suitable for consumption. The quality of the final product is regulated by the state standard GOST 5962-2013, which specifies the permissible content of foreign substances. According to the degree of purification, food alcohol is divided into 5 categories, moreover, the maximum concentration of methanol should not exceed 0.05%, fusel oils - 35 mg/dm 3, acetaldehyde - 1035 mg/dm 3.

It is almost impossible to distinguish food alcohol from technical alcohol by appearance - they both look like transparent liquids with a characteristic smell and taste of ethanol (the main component). Methanol, even in concentrations lethal to humans, practically does not show its presence. That is why it is important to know how to determine its presence in alcohol. Let's look at the main ones available at home.

By packaging

Edible alcohol is not a final product, so you won’t find it in its pure form in stores. And products based on it (in particular, vodka) are marked with an excise stamp, which can be verified by number and barcode in the ESPAR system. You should also pay attention to the appearance of the alcohol you buy:

• the label must be well printed on high-quality paper and contain information about the manufacturer, the product itself (strength, bottling date, volume, etc.);
• the bottle should not have any damage or strange inclusions; for high-quality alcohol, it is always of a special shape and has embossed images of logos and inscriptions.

If you are purchasing food grade alcohol, the packaging must also contain information about the manufacturer, its contact information, and a sign of passing state control.

Testing for methyl alcohol

• Formaldehyde test. Heat the copper wire and quickly dip it into the liquid being tested. The strong smell of formaldehyde (a product of methanol decomposition) will distinguish alcohol with a high content of a dangerous component;
• Potassium permanganate. Add a pinch of potassium permanganate to a transparent container with alcohol - the purified product will only turn pinkish, and containing a large amount of methanol will react violently with the release of gas.
• Potatoes. Cut one tuber and drop the test liquid onto the cut. Methanol will give itself away by reacting with starch, which will turn the root vegetable pinkish.
• By setting it on fire. Pour alcohol into a small flat container and set it on fire. Pure ethanol burns with a pale blue flame, while methanol burns with a greenish flame.

Checking the concentration of fusel oils

• A mirror. Wipe its surface with a soft sponge and soda without damaging the glass, rinse under cold running water and leave to dry without wiping. Drop a little alcohol onto the dry mirror and wait until it completely evaporates. Carefully inspect the surface in good lighting - if streaks remain, the product has not been properly cleaned.
• Potassium permanganate. Add a pinch of this substance to the liquid and note the time during which it changes color. If this happens only after 5 minutes at room temperature, then you have purchased a quality product. Faster coloration indicates the presence of a large amount of fusel oils.
• By setting it on fire. As with methanol, burning the liquid will help assess its composition. If there is a lot of fusel oil in it, the flame will acquire a bright yellowish tint.

A high concentration of impurities can also be determined by the appearance of the alcohol. If it is cloudy and foam forms when shaken, this is a sign of fusel oils. This product is called moonshine and is obtained through artisanal distillation with insufficient purification. If you need to find out the exact content of foreign components in the liquid, this can only be done using laboratory analysis.

Alcohol is the main ingredient in almost all alcoholic drinks. But in order to end up with high-quality, tasty, and most importantly safe products, you need to choose the right alcohol.

Alcohol can be of two types: ethyl and methyl. We will tell you below which of them can be drunk or eaten, and what color they burn.

Ethyl or ethanol

Ethyl alcohol comes in two types: food and medical. It is suitable for consumption, however, before doing this it must be diluted with water, otherwise, due to the high concentration of alcohol, you can get serious burns of the digestive tract and oral cavity.

Without special manipulations, it is impossible to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol by eye. Both liquids are transparent, with a characteristic odor, and the same density. True, methyl has a neutral aroma, which is expressed rather weakly and is felt only when “sniffing”, while ethanol vapors are sharper and hit the nose.

This product is obtained by distilling wort that has previously undergone the fermentation stage. You can also get it yourself at home, however, for this you need to use a special distillate - a moonshine still.

Reference. Homemade moonshine, prepared from high-quality raw materials and in accordance with technological rules, is in no way inferior in quality to industrial alcohol.

But it is worth understanding that with prolonged use of this ethyl product in large quantities, alcohol dependence may appear. Therefore, all drinks prepared on its basis must be consumed in small quantities.

Methyl or methanol

Methyl or technical alcohol, which is popularly simply called methanol This is an industrial product and cannot be used as food in any form. This liquid is obtained from legnin, formic alcohol and wood.

This product is used to make solvents and formaldehyde. When working with such a substance, be sure to follow safety precautions, since methanol has a strong and pungent aroma and can also cause severe burns to the epidermis.

Reference. Industrial alcohol is absorbed into the body much more slowly than ethanol; it destroys the nervous system, causes severe poisoning, and also impairs vision.

That is why, when making your own alcohol-based alcoholic drinks, it is very important to use the right product.

When purchasing alcoholic beverages in stores with a proven reputation, the risk of poisoning from a “scorched” product is significantly reduced. Most often, drinks with methyl alcohol are sold in kiosks, sales tents, by hand, at unauthorized points of sale and drinking, as well as near train stations.

How to determine the species?

However, in order to independently determine what type of alcohol is presented, it is not at all necessary to take its samples to the laboratory. There are several simple ways to determine the type of alcohol:

1. All you need to do is set the liquid on fire. You can pour a small amount into any container, or you can simply moisten the edge of a cotton swab and bring it to the fire source. This method does not require the use of any special tools, and the diagnostic result is instantaneous. Ethyl alcohol always burns only with a blue flame, but the flame of methanol is green. But this rule only works for methyl alcohol without unnecessary impurities.
2. There is also the so-called potato test. A small root vegetable is thoroughly peeled and washed, then cut into two parts and both are placed in a jar. Pour alcohol over the potatoes and leave for 2-5 hours. If after this period the water has not turned pink, it means that the alcohol is ethyl alcohol, and it can be used in the future.
3. You can add a small amount of baking soda to a container of alcohol. If the container contains ethanol, the soda will turn yellow and settle at the bottom of the container. If the alcohol is methyl alcohol, then it will completely dissolve.
4. Lightly heat the alcohol and add a couple of granules of ordinary potassium permanganate to it. If the liquid is of high quality, then no changes will occur. If methanol has been heated, then when potassium permanganate gets into it, it will begin to hiss and bubble strongly.
5. If you have a good industrial thermometer at hand, then a small amount of liquid can simply be heated in a metal container. At the moment when it begins to boil, its temperature should be measured. Ethanol boils at 80 degrees, and methyl alcohol begins to boil at 60 degrees.
6. Lang's test or discoloration of liquid. To do this, the liquid being tested is heated to 18 degrees in a small container. The manganese infusion is immediately poured into this and everything is removed from the heat. Now you need to time the time it takes for the liquid to color from dark crimson to light pink. The longer this process takes place, the better the quality of the liquid being tested. The best option is 10 – 20 minutes. For such a test you will need 50 g of alcohol, 2 g of water and 0.2 mg of potassium permanganate.
7. The simplest but most reliable is the so-called formaldehyde test. All that is necessary is to heat a copper wire over high heat and lower it into a container with liquid. After 15 seconds, the copper is removed and sniffed. The stronger the aroma of formaldehyde, the lower the quality of the alcohol, which means you should never drink it.

Attention! When buying alcohol in random places or, especially, receiving a homemade product as a gift, smell it before drinking. If the smell seems too pungent or somehow unusual, do not be lazy to conduct a home examination to prevent severe poisoning.

Symptoms of poisoning and first aid

If methanol was nevertheless consumed, then this will be indicated by:

• flickering before the eyes and decreased visibility;
• severe headache and dizziness;
• strong cutting cramps in the stomach;
• nausea and vomiting.

The person may also have poor spatial orientation and lose consciousness. In such cases, first aid should be provided immediately:

1. Call an ambulance and explain that the victim has severe methanol poisoning.
2. It is necessary to give the person a soda solution to drink. The volume of liquid drunk should not be less than 1500 ml.
3. It is necessary to cleanse the intestines. To do this, first induce vomiting and then give an enema.

To intoxicate and neutralize methanol, the victim is allowed to drink 50 ml of slightly diluted ethanol every three hours. But you shouldn’t self-medicate at home. Only a medical institution can assess the degree of poisoning and provide proper assistance.

Ethyl alcohol poisoning

You can also be poisoned by ethyl alcohol if you exceed the permissible dose. The amount of alcohol entering the blood is measured in ppm (‰) - a conventional unit indicating 1/10 of a percent of alcohol per 1 liter of blood.

First aid for ethyl alcohol poisoning (hangover)

If a drunk is vomiting, it is necessary to give him the opportunity to empty his stomach properly, and if he is able to drink water, it must be offered in sufficient quantities. The more alcohol the body expels from itself at this stage, the better. It is important to ensure that the person does not choke on drink or vomit. The next morning after the “victim” sleeps off, he will need:

1. A tablet of acetylsalicylic acid and analgin (or aspirin + citramon) to relieve headaches.
2. Activated carbon, enterosgel or other sorbents.
3. Drinking plenty of water - mineral water, compote, sweet drinks are a good help, since during “libations” the body loses glucose.
4. If you feel the urge to vomit, you can induce it artificially by drinking a glass of clean water first.
5. A refreshing shower, airing the room, a light walk.
6. Chicken broth, soup, some oatmeal, greens or a raw egg will start your stomach and help you recover faster.

You should avoid strenuous physical activity, exposure to contrasting temperatures, heavy food, and you should not get a hangover.

Video: how to check the quality of alcohol at home?

If you have doubts about the alcoholic liquid you are purchasing, it is better to do several studies simultaneously to determine its quality. Watch a video that uses the Lang method - one of the simple ways you can check the quality of alcohol at home:

26.12.2016 23:23

Tragedies in Norilsk..75 deaths..
From this... pack of "baboon" slackers, calling themselves government officials, preoccupied with their rank quarrels, spitting on the lives of the population, from collecting tribute from whom they live, there is only one reaction - to ban the sale of alcohol-containing substances. For a month. The expected reaction.
By type - how to do it in order to do nothing.

I give practical advice:
And the best thing is not to drink alcohol!
________________________________________________

How to distinguish ethyl alcohol from methyl alcohol
Finding low-quality alcohol in a container and drinking it is not so bad. It is much worse to use methyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol. It is very difficult to distinguish them by eye, which leads to frequent poisoning. Methanol is a powerful poison that has a detrimental effect on the nervous and vascular systems, as well as vision. If a person survives, he often remains blind. Taking methyl alcohol causes lethargy, headache, general malaise, pain in the lower back and abdomen. Possible loss of consciousness. Ingestion of 30 to 100 ml of methanol is fatal.

Ethyl and methyl alcohol are exactly the same in taste, smell and color, so it will be quite difficult for an ordinary person to distinguish them. There are several methods that allow you to determine that what you have in front of you is ethanol and methanol. To determine the quality of the alcohol, you can try setting the liquid on fire.

1. Observe the color of the fire. If the alcohol burns with a blue flame, then most likely it is ethanol. Methyl alcohol glows green.

2. The traditional method includes a test using potatoes. Peel the raw potatoes and throw a small piece into the container. After a few hours it may change color. If it turns pink, then the alcohol being tested is methanol. In ethyl alcohol, potatoes practically do not change color.

3. One of the most reliable ways to check the chemical identity of alcohol is a formaldehyde test. Take copper wire and heat it on fire. Then dip it in the liquid. Methanol will give off a strong, unpleasant odor of formaldehyde.
Ethanol in such cases has virtually no odor or smells of a faint aroma of apples.
Verification methods with similar final results are also used. Moisten a cotton swab with alcohol, set it on fire and quickly extinguish it. You can also add potassium permanganate to the liquid and set it on fire. Based on the above emanating odors, determine whether the alcohol belongs to the ethanol or methanol group.

How to distinguish methanol from ethanol
Externally, methanol (technical alcohol) is very similar to ethyl alcohol. It has approximately the same density and refractive index (the ability to refract the sun's rays). Has the same smell and color. In laboratory conditions, distinguishing methanol from ethanol is not very difficult. This is more difficult to do at home. However, there are several ways to distinguish ethyl alcohol from methyl alcohol without complex equipment.

You will need
- metal container (mug, pot, etc.),
- copper wire,
- gas burner (a household gas stove is suitable),
- thermometer,
- transparent dishes (glass),
- potassium permanganate.
Instructions

First way.
1. Place a metal container with the test liquid on a burning gas burner (stove).
2.Measure with a thermometer the temperature at which the liquid begins to boil. Methanol boils at about 64°C, ethanol at about 78°C.

Second way.
1.Twist a small spiral from copper wire. This is necessary to increase the contact surface of copper and the test liquid.
2. Heat the copper wire until it is white, or better yet, until it is black: this is the degree of incandescence when copper oxide begins to form on the surface of the wire.
3.Dip the hot wire into the prepared container with the test liquid.
4.Smell: if the aroma of rotten apples appears, this is ethanol. If there is a sharp, unpleasant and irritating odor to the mucous membranes, it is methanol.

Third way.
1.Pour the test liquid into a transparent container.
2.Add a little potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) to the test liquid.
3. If gas bubbles appear in the liquid, it is methanol. If there are no bubbles and it smells like vinegar, it’s ethanol.

Helpful advice
You can also distinguish ethanol from methanol using the iodoform reaction: when mixing iodine, alkali (sodium hydroxide), ethyl alcohol and water heated to 50 ° C, a yellow precipitate forms - iodoform. Methanol does not give such a reaction.

The bubbles released when methanol reacts with potassium permanganate are carbon dioxide. And when ethanol is oxidized with potassium permanganate, there is no gas emission - acetic acid is formed. This is used when purifying ethanol from methyl alcohol impurities.

One of the worst alcohol poisonings is the use of methyl (technical) alcohol instead of ethyl (food grade) or medical alcohol. Even a small dose can be fatal. I will tell you how to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol. Following events in the Czech Republic, where thousands of people were affected by counterfeit alcohol containing methanol, this information has become vital.

The problem is that the taste, smell and color of industrial alcohol are no different from food alcohol. It is this feature that causes poisoning. Methanol is usually found in solvents, antifreeze liquids and other household chemicals that are not intended for internal consumption, but due to various circumstances it can be sold as drinking water.

Methods for determining technical alcohol

1. Origin. Buy alcohol in trustworthy stores, where the risk of becoming a victim of counterfeiting is much lower than at dubious points of sale (stalls, moonshiners, etc.).

Drink and dilute pure alcohol only from well-known sources. If it is the product of distilleries or medical alcohol, there will be no problems; in all other cases, the risk of accidentally drinking methanol increases many times over.

2. Setting fire. This is one of the easiest ways to check. The liquid is set on fire and the color of the fire is monitored. Ethanol burns with a blue flame, while industrial alcohol burns with a green flame.

3. Potato check. A small slice of raw potato is thrown into a container with alcohol for several hours. If the potatoes have not changed color, it means that you have pure food grade alcohol that you can drink. Potatoes usually turn pink in methanol.

4. Formaldehyde test. It is considered one of the most reliable methods. Copper wire is heated over a fire, then immersed in liquid. If a strong unpleasant odor appears, you should not drink alcohol; it is methanol. Ordinary ethanol does not emit an odor when a hot copper wire is immersed in it.

Symptoms of industrial alcohol poisoning:

• severe headache;
• labored breathing;
• general malaise;
• pain in the abdomen and lower back;
• vomit;
• lethargy.

All of these signs are also similar to ordinary alcohol poisoning, so they are often confused. But in the case of methyl poisoning, the consequences are much more serious. Methanol quickly destroys the visual, nervous and vascular systems. For severe poisoning, 5-10 ml of methanol is enough, and 30 ml causes death.

If a person becomes ill after drinking alcohol, doctors recommend calling an ambulance immediately rather than hoping that everything will go away on its own.

Ethyl alcohol serves as the basis for all strong alcoholic drinks. A surrogate potion is made from methyl alcohol, a component from the same class of organic compounds. The use of methanol is fraught with severe poisoning, disability and even death. It is difficult for an untrained person to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol by external signs. If the purchased drink is suspicious, you can resort to home tests that will identify the dangerous component.

How to check ethyl or methyl alcohol

Edible alcohol and deadly poison are similar to each other. Both compounds are a colorless, highly flammable liquid. But methyl alcohol has a less pronounced odor than ethyl alcohol. This is the only difference that unmistakably reveals a deadly substance.

If, when you uncork a bottle, a recognizable vodka “aroma” hits your nose, this is a sure sign of high-quality alcohol. But the lack of smell should alert you. You should not drink such a product until the nature of its origin is clarified. You can determine the class of substances using available tools without leaving your home.

Home methods of determination

When starting experiments, it is important to realize that a home laboratory will not replace a specialized one. There are 7 ways to detect methanol in a drink:

1. Assess the color of the flame when igniting alcohol.
2. Test with raw potatoes.
3. Determine the boiling point of the substance.
4. Do an experiment with baking soda.
5. Evaluate the reaction of the substance with potassium permanganate.
6. Carry out a test with copper wire and flame.
7. Apply Lang's test.

For reliability, it is worth using several methods to identify alcohol in a product. The result will be more accurate if the bottle contains pure methanol or its concentration is more than half of the total volume.

Flame color

It is better to carry out the test in a dark room, excluding all possible light sources. The experimental liquid is poured into a shallow container and then set on fire. The color of the flame and the rate of ignition of the substance are assessed. Ethanol ignites quickly and burns with a pale bluish flame. Methanol burns more slowly and has a greenish tint when burning. Cotton swabs will also work for the experiment: they are moistened in liquid and brought to a fire source.

This method cannot be called ultra-precise, since it is difficult to determine the color of the flame if the drink contains impurities. So, when boric acid is added, both substances burn the same way - with a green flame.

Reaction with potatoes

The experiment should be carried out only with colorless drinks. The liquid is poured into a transparent glass, then a slice of raw potato is placed in it and left for 3-4 hours. If during this time the root vegetable has changed its color to pink or lilac, then there is a surrogate in the glass. If the potatoes remain unchanged, the drink does not pose a health threat. Metamorphoses with the vegetable occur due to the interaction of starch with the test compound.

The disadvantage of this method is the long time that you need to wait to verify the safety (or danger) of the experimental liquid. Therefore, potato dough is not very common among people.

Boiling temperature

You can check for the presence of poison in an alcohol-containing drink by bringing it to a boil. To carry out the test, you need a thermometer that is resistant to high temperatures. The liquid is poured into a fireproof container, the device is immersed in it and put on fire together with it. They wait for the drink to boil and evaluate the results. Ethyl alcohol boils at +78° C, methyl alcohol – at +64° C.

The result will be accurate if pure alcohol is tested. If you need to test an alcohol-containing liquid, which is the majority of alcoholic products, this method cannot be relied upon.

Reaction with baking soda

The experience is based on the difference in the interaction of ethyl and methyl alcohol with an alkaline environment. This can be clearly demonstrated by adding a little baking soda to both substances (1 teaspoon per 1 glass) and mixing the solutions well. The surrogate will dissolve the white powder without residue and retain its transparency, while in baking alcohol the soda will fall to the bottom as a sediment in the form of yellow flakes.

This at-home alcohol testing guide will only work if the drink itself is colorless. If dark-colored wines, port, cognac or beer are tested, the cloudy sediment at the bottom may not be visible.

Reaction with potassium permanganate

Surrogate and legal alcohol interact with potassium permanganate in different ways. Differences in the reaction when mixing two components will be the main evidence of the presence (or absence) of methanol in the drink. This test is good because it can be applied to colored and dark-colored liquids.

Add potassium permanganate to a glass of alcohol on the tip of a knife and monitor the reaction. If there is a rapid release of bubbles, there is methyl alcohol in the glass. If gas is not released, but a vinegary odor is clearly felt, the experimental liquid does not pose a danger to the body.

Formaldehyde test

Copper wire is required for this experiment. Copper wire will do, but in this case it will be stripped of its insulating coating. The drink to be tested is poured into a glass. The metal is heated over a fire and quickly placed in a liquid. If there is an admixture of methanol in it, the smell of formaldehyde will soon be in the air. Edible alcohol will not emit an odor (sometimes it can smell like rotten apples).

The main disadvantage of this method is that not everyone knows what formaldehyde smells like. This substance can be identified by a specific hospital “aroma”, which is particularly persistent.

Lang's test

Lang's test or the oxidability of the liquid will help to distinguish between two alcohols. To carry out the test, you will need a glass test tube or a transparent narrow vessel. The test tube is first rinsed with the test liquid, and then 50 ml is poured inside. The container is placed in warm water (temperature + 15 ° C) for 10 minutes, making sure that the outside water is higher than the level of the alcoholic drink. Using a syringe, add 1 ml of potassium permanganate solution prepared from 1 liter of water and 0.2 g of potassium permanganate. The composition is mixed and placed again in water.

Next, measure the time it takes for the liquid to lighten from deep pink to light pink. The longer oxidation occurs, the safer the drink. Ethyl alcohol will discolor the liquid in 10–20 minutes, methyl alcohol almost immediately.

Precautionary measures

Methanol is a potent poison that causes poisoning and subsequent complications. Just 5–10 g of a dangerous substance can cause blindness, and 30 g is considered a lethal dose. The toxic effect of the compound manifests itself not only when it is ingested, but also when interacting with it. Thus, methyl alcohol vapors penetrate the respiratory tract and through the skin, causing irritation of the mucous membranes, visual disturbances, headaches, and neuritis. This is why you need to be careful when working with methanol, even if you have no intention of drinking it. The following rules will help you protect yourself:

1. Work with the substance only in a ventilated area.
2. The respiratory organs must be protected with a respirator, and rubber gloves must be worn on your hands.
3. Do not pour hazardous substances down the drain. It should be collected in a sealed container and handed over to special agencies involved in the destruction of hazardous substances.
4. If poison gets on your skin or hands, wash it off with plenty of water. If alcohol gets on clothes, be sure to wash them in warm water.
5. If methanol is accidentally ingested, seek immediate medical attention.

You can purchase a methanol-based alcoholic drink without knowing it. Patients suffering from alcoholism are at risk. Alcohol addiction is so strong that a person does not realize that he is drinking poison. Alcohol abuse and periodic binges force a person to look for cheaper analogues of legal alcoholic beverages. Therefore, cases of fatal surrogate poisoning appear regularly in the media news.

In order to avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to purchase alcohol in trusted places - in the wine departments of large hypermarkets and specialized stores. You should not purchase alcohol in dubious places, by hand or from home winemakers. When purchasing, you should always pay attention to the presence of a tax stamp, an informative label and high-quality packaging. If the purchased drink does not inspire confidence, it is better not to drink it at all.

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