Factors affecting the accuracy of the determination of diethyl phthalate in vodka, ethanol, and samples of illegal alcoholic products

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Abstract
Samples of illegally produced strong alcoholic beverages from the cities of Kyzyl and Stavropol were studied using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It was found that all of the samples were prepared from high-purity food or hydrolysis ethanol (characteristic impurity compounds that are the markers of synthetic alcohol were absent), which met the requirements of GOST (State Standard) R 51698-2000. In the samples of illegal alcohol (from Kyzyl), diethyl phthalate (850–1284 mg/L) and, in one sample, ethylene glycol (380 mg/L, accidental contaminant) were found. The occurrence of diethyl phthalate indicated that vodka (aqueous alcohol mixture) was prepared from commercial denatured alcohol. An analysis of regulatory documents and published data allowed us to draw the following conclusions: (1) diethyl phthalate does not meet the requirements imposed on denaturing additives, and it is used as a denaturing agent only in Russia; (2) the test samples of illegal alcohol do not differ from food ethanol solutions of analogous strength in terms of acute toxicity parameters; and (3) surrogate alcohols in illicit trade are not the main reason for high mortality from alcohol intoxication in the test region (Kyzyl and the Tyva Republic).

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