Liquid scintillation counting of /sup 14/C for differentiation of synthetic ethanol from ethanol of fermentation

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6240169

Martin, G E; Noakes, J E; Alfonso, F C; Figert, D M

Samples containing ethanol are fractionated on a column so that the resultant ethanol content is > 93%. Determination of /sup 14/C by liquid scintillation counting on the ethanol fraction differentiates ethanol produced by fermentation from synthetic ethanol produced from fossil fuel sources. Twenty-seven samples were fractionated and analyzed for the /sup 14/C isotope. Six samples were synthetic ethanol derived from ethylene gas (direct and indirect process), and yielded a mean value for /sup 14/C isotope of 0.167 dpm/g carbon with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.066 dpm/g carbon (disintegrations per minute per gram of carbon). The remaining samples were ethanol derived from the fermentation of natural materials, such as corn, pear, sugar cane, grape, cherry, and blackberry, and yielded a mean value for /sup 14/C isotope of 16.11 dpm/g carbon with an SD of 1.27. The /sup 14/C values for specific mixtures of a synthetic and a natural ethanol compare favorably with the analytical values obtained by this procedure.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Rockville, MD
• OSTI ID: 6240169
• Journal Information: J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem.; (United States), Vol. 64:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CARBON 14
SCINTILLATION COUNTING
ETHANOL
FRACTIONATION
SYNTHESIS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERMENTATION
FRUITS
SACCHARIDES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VEGETABLES
ALCOHOLS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOCONVERSION
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON ISOTOPES
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DATA
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FOOD
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
090222* - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
400103 - Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures- (-1987)
400105 - Separation Procedures