Abstract: | This study aims to highlight the presence and toxic potential of methyl alcohol from artisanal distillates, a congener with a high degree of toxicity that can generate, in case of intoxication, an insidious symptomatology which is easily confused with ethanol intoxication, but with a high degree of aggression leading to blindness, metabolic acidosis and death.Throughout our study, a total of 49 samples of natural alcoholic distillates were analysed as products resulting from the distillation of simple grape macerates (pomace). The samples were taken from the area of Moldavia, most of them coming from Bacău County, respectively 42 samples, 4 samples from Buzau County, 2 samples from Vrancea County and 1 sample from Galati County. The concentration of methyl alcohol, according to the legislation in forceis compared to the anhydrous ethyl alcohol. Thus, the analysis involved two stages, respectively, determining the ethyl alcohol concentration and then comparing it to the anhydrous ethyl alcohol in the samples. To determine the concentration of methyl alcohol in alcohol samples, the analyses were performed on an Agilent Technologies 7890 A gas chromatograph equipped with an Agilent Technologies 7683 B Series automatic injector, coupled with an Agilent Technologies 5975C inert MSD mass spectrometer. Of the samples analysed, two had a methanol concentration below the detection limit, the lowest value detected was 0.13 g /100 mL, the highest value detected was 2.20 g /100 mL. 6 samples of the ones analysed had values above the limit, meaning a significant percentage of 12.24%, with values between 1.19 g /100mL - 2.20 g /100mL. These values could be obtained, to some extent, because of the grape varieties present in the pomace. However, if the distillation technology is strictly respected, the methanol percentage in the distillates would not exceed the legal limit. Many people do not meet these requirements given that they are ignorant of the aspects referring to both the grape variety and the pomace distilling technique and they are eager to obtain as much distillate with a high alcohol concentration as possible. Hence, they obtain distillates contaminated with methanol, sometimes in lethal concentrations, as highlighted in this study. |
