Determination of the volume content of ethanol in the alcohol products in
practice is usually determined by pycnometry, electronic densimetry, or
densimetry using a hydrostatic balance in accordance with Commission Regulation
No 2870/2000. However, these methods determine directly only density of the
tested liquid sample and does not take into account the effects of other
volatile components such as aldehydes, esters and higher alcohols. So they are
appropriate only for binary water-ethanol solutions in accordance with
international table adopted by the International Legal Metrology Organization
in its Recommendation No 22. Availability notable concentrations of the higher
alcohols and ethers in different alcohol-based products, e. g. in whisky,
cognac, brandy, wine as well as in waste alcohol and alcohol beverage
production, leads to the significant contribution of these compounds in the
value of the density of tested alcohol-containing sample. As a result,
determination of the volume of ethanol content for such alcohol products in
gives the value of the strength, which may significantly differ from the true
one. Using incorrectly calculated volume content of ethyl alcohol leads to
incorrect results determining the quantities of volatile compounds in the
alcohol-containing products, expressed in milligrams per liter of absolute
alcohol. We propose experimental results of the method of correct determination
of ethanol and other volatile compounds content in waste products of alcohol
and alcoholic beverage industry by gas chromatography. Calculations are based
on the measured value of sample density and volatile compound concentrations
expressed in mg per liter of absolute alcohol [JAFC 61(2013)2950]. The method
can be easily incorporated into daily practice of analytical and control
laboratories with no additional material, financial or time costs.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Proc. of the Wine Active Compounds
(WAC) 2014 international conference (Beaune, France, March 26-28, 2014
