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Plasticizers as Contaminants in Commercial Ethanol
Author(s) -
Goldstein Dora B.,
Feistner Gottfried J.,
Faull Kym F.,
Tomer Kenneth B.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1987.tb00165.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , triethylene glycol , plasticizer , mass spectrometry , electron ionization , fast atom bombardment , chromatography , analytical chemistry (journal) , resolution (logic) , chemical ionization , membrane , contamination , ionization , nuclear chemistry , organic chemistry , ion , ecology , biology , biochemistry , artificial intelligence , computer science
A batch of 95% ethanol caused unusually strong disordering of biomembranes, which could be detected either by fluorescence anisotropy in synaptosomal membranes or by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in erythrocyte membranes. The contaminated batches of ethanol were visibly fluorescent when evaporated on filter paper. The adulterants were separated by capillary gas chromatography and the ubiquitous pollutant dioctylphthalate was identified by its low resolution electron impact mass spectrum. The remaining peaks, which were not recognized by any of the available mass spectral libraries, were identified by high resolution electron impact and chemical ionization mass spectrometry and low resolution tandem mass spectrometry using fast atom bombardment ionization; they were triethylene glycol esters and aryl phosphates. All the contaminants are industrial plasticizers. Distillation resulted in loss of the strong disordering properties of the alcohol.