What is special about medical alcohol and why is it better than food alcohol? Formula, composition and other characteristics.

14.08.2019 Macaroni, pasta, dumplings

One of the most terrible alcohol poisoning is the use of methyl (technical) alcohol instead of ethyl (food) or medical. Even a small dose can be fatal. I will tell you how to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol. After the events in the Czech Republic, where thousands of people suffered from fake alcohol containing methanol, this information became vital.

The problem is that technical alcohol does not differ in taste, smell and color from food alcohol. It is this feature that causes poisoning. Methanol is usually found in solvents, antifreeze liquids and other household chemicals that are not intended for ingestion, but due to various circumstances it can be sold under the guise of drinking.

Methods for determining technical alcohol

1. Origin. Buy alcohol in trusted stores, where the risk of becoming a victim of a fake is much lower than at dubious points of sale (stalls, moonshiners, etc.).

Drink and dilute pure alcohol only from well-known sources. If it is the products of distilleries or medical alcohol, there will be no problems, in all other cases the risk of accidentally drinking methanol increases many times over.

2. Ignition. This is one of the easiest ways to check. The liquid is set on fire and the color of the fire is monitored. Ethanol burns with a blue flame, technical alcohol with a green one.

3. Potato check. A small slice of raw potatoes is thrown into a container with alcohol for several hours. If the potato has not changed its color, then you have pure food alcohol that you can drink. In methanol, potatoes usually take on a pink hue.

4. Formaldehyde test. It is considered one of the most reliable methods. Copper wire is heated on fire, then immersed in a liquid. If there is a sharp unpleasant odor, you can not drink alcohol, it is methanol. Ordinary ethanol, when immersed in hot copper wire, does not emit odor.

Symptoms of technical alcohol poisoning:

severe headache;
labored breathing;
general malaise;
pain in the abdomen and lower back;
vomit;
lethargy.

All these signs are also similar to ordinary alcohol poisoning, so they are often confused. But in the case of methyl poisoning, the consequences are much more serious. Methanol quickly destroys the visual, nervous and vascular systems. For severe poisoning, 5-10 ml of methanol is enough, and 30 ml causes death.

30 ml of methyl alcohol are lethal

If a person becomes ill after drinking alcohol, doctors recommend immediately calling an ambulance, and not hoping that everything will go away by itself.

Have you ever wondered what ethyl alcohol is made of, its history of origin and that there are several types of alcohol? If not, then this article will be useful and interesting for you, since we come across this product very often and do not know anything about it.

Any feast does not pass without alcoholic beverages, which are made, just on the basis of alcohol. But not every drink has a positive effect on a person, sometimes the state of health after drinking alcohol varies from dizziness to lightness in the body.

What is the reason for this influence of the product? The root of the poor health lies in the category of ethyl alcohol, which was used in the production of the drink. Read about it below and you will find out which alcoholic drinks are better to drink so that you don’t suffer from a headache the next day, learn how to choose alcohol correctly and understand its composition.

The composition of any alcoholic beverage includes ethyl alcohol. The manufacture of such a product depends on the area in which it will be used in the future. Not all ethanol is used to create alcoholic beverages, so many consumers often have the question, what is ethyl alcohol from?

Types of ethyl alcohol

Ethanol It is a colorless transparent liquid with a characteristic odor and a burning taste.

According to modern requirements, it can be:

drinking, used for the production of alcohol. In its manufacture, a special technology is used - natural raw materials, it goes through many degrees of purification. Purification is necessary to remove harmful impurities from the product that have a detrimental effect on the body.
Industrial made from petroleum and other non-natural components. The product is not heavily refined according to technical standards and is not released for human use.
Medical subjected to multiple degrees of purification. According to the technical requirements, it cannot be used as a drink, but if consumed, it will practically not harm the body.

Ethyl medical alcohol is sold in a pharmacy without any restrictions. To obtain it, natural or technical raw materials are used.

Important: In alcohol, drinking alcohol is always diluted with water and may include aromatic additives in its composition.

What is ethyl alcohol made from?

Depending on the type of raw material, ethyl alcohol can be drinking or technical. There are the following ways to obtain a technical product:

Prepare raw materials. It can be manure, coal, oil or any other element of chemical origin. Such raw materials are prepared and sent to distilleries.
With the help of a special alcoholization technology, the chemical product undergoes a thorough treatment.

The distillery packs finished products and sends them to industrial enterprises. In some factories, the use of such a product is not entirely legal, as it is added to alcoholic beverages.

Drinking product is used to create alcoholic beverages. There is the following production method:

First, special raw materials are prepared in the form of grains, potatoes, sugar beet, sugar cane and other natural elements.
This raw material is carefully processed. Then yeast is added to it, fermentation takes place and high quality alcohol is obtained.
Then the products go to factories specializing in the production of alcoholic beverages. Here they do additional purification of the finished alcohol.

Important: Most manufacturers use the cheapest raw materials to produce ethyl alcohol, since such production requires a special processing technology, passing through many degrees of purification. This takes a lot of time.

Varieties of drinking alcohols

Drinking spirits can be flavored or made from:

grains;
grapes;
fruits and berries;
sugar cane;
agaves.

Many consumers ask what vodka and whiskey are made from? For their production, grain products are used. Grapes are used in the production of drinks such as cognac, armagnac, French brandy.

If on the label of cognac products alcohol "Extra" is indicated among the ingredients, then you should know that this is not real cognac.

Fruit spirits are made exclusively from fruits and berries, but the production technology here is somewhat different. For example, apples and pears are never juiced because they contain a strong acid that can ruin the quality of an alcoholic drink. Strawberries and raspberries are first soaked in alcohol, after which the finished product is obtained from them.

Fruit spirits are used to make brandy. This drink is typical for European countries.

Sugar cane is used to produce sugar. Black molasses is obtained from cane waste. It is processed, rum and cachaca are made from it. Yeast is used to add the desired alcoholic drink to molasses. Flavored spirits are needed to create absinthe, and tequila is made from agave.

Important to remember: It is impossible to mix alcoholic beverages that were created from ethanol of different origin. Otherwise, the body will not be able to process different alcohol and a severe hangover may occur.

In order to prevent a hangover syndrome and complications associated with it, purchase alcohol made from high-quality ingredients that has been fully certified for compliance with GOST. Quality products will never be sold at a low price.
https://alkotraz.ru/

Alpha and luxury varieties, production methods and classification

Alcohols are organic compounds. They make up a large group of chemicals, but basically ethanol is understood by the concept of alcohol.

They are derivatives of water with only one difference - one atom is replaced by the functional group R.

Origin story

For the first time such a word appeared in our language back in the time of Peter the Great. It came from the English word "Spirit", which means "soul" in Russian.

This product has been known to people since ancient times. Some scholars believe that people knew about him and his actions as early as ten thousand years before our era. Based on the results of the excavations, it was concluded that winemaking in Western Asia existed as early as 5 thousand years BC, and in China even earlier.

But a pure product was first obtained only in the 6th-7th centuries.

The first discoverers in this area were Arab chemists. So, the method of obtaining a pure product is in the notes of an alchemist from Persia - Ar-Razi. European scientists were able to get ethyl or ethanol only in the XI-XII century.

Vodka was first brought to Russia only in 1386. This was done by the Genoese embassy, which brought and showed it to the princely court.

In alcoholic beverages, such as vodka, three varieties of the manufactured product are distinguished during manufacture:

alpha, extra and luxury.

Alcohol category alpha. The alpha species gained popularity at the end of the 20th century. The product of this category is produced only with the addition of natural products such as wheat, rye and various mixtures. To date, vodka, created on the basis of varieties of the alpha category, is also very popular, as it is of high quality and quite pleasant taste. The percentage of methyl content is prescribed in GOST.

To distinguish the type of drink, a special indicator is used - the percentage of methyl contained in it. The lower the percentage, the less the product will have a bad effect on a person, so the drink will turn out to be of better quality.

Today, few people produce vodka based on the alpha variety, but, according to forecasts, it will soon make up the majority of sales.

Alpha or lux - which alcohol is better?

The quality of vodka is determined by the following factors:

the raw materials from which the alcoholic beverage is produced;
method of processing alcohol in vodka during production;
quality of cleaning of the produced product, checked in accordance with GOST.

The state has created special standards for the production of alcoholic beverages, according to which the quality is determined and the following varieties are distinguished from it:

first grade;
alcohol of the highest purity;
basis;
extra;
lux.

In the alpha category, the methyl content according to GOST accounts for only 0.003%.

In turn, the luxury variety is made from mixtures of grains and potatoes, and the methyl content in it is 0.02%.

So the difference between alcoholic beverages produced from the alpha category is not much different from those produced from the deluxe category. But it is better to take alpha, since the purer the alcoholic drink is, the better it will taste, and besides, it will bring much less harm to the human body.

Vodka made from Alpha varieties or luxury alcohol belongs to elite drinks. So the price for it will be extremely high.

Alcohol extra

This species is produced exclusively from grains of wheat and potatoes. The methyl content here is much higher than in Lux and Alpha alcohol. But still, drinks made from these varieties are of high quality and have their own distinctive features.

Types of alcohol

Alcohol differs in several types, which depend on the stage of manufacture:

Rectified alcohol. Raw alcohol - the amount of alcohol content is approximately 88%. It is obtained by distillation of raw materials.
Rectified - obtained after the distillation of alcohol of the first stage of manufacture.
Edible alcohol or rectified ethyl alcohol - obtained after the rectification of the product, after which it can be used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. Although the name of this alcohol is "drinkable", it is not recommended to drink it, as it can burn the mucous membranes in the human body.

Stages of production and composition of alcohol

Alcohol has several varieties directly dependent on the raw materials on which it was made. These varieties are classified into the following types:

Wine alcohol or as it is also called fruit alcohol - brandy or cognac is made from this type of variety. It can be produced from grapes, apples, plums, agave and other fruits.
Grain - this variety is mainly used for the production of whiskey.
Potato - is extremely dangerous for the human body, as it contains hydrocyanic acid in large quantities. This type of alcohol is prohibited in Russia.

Ethyl product production

This process has its own characteristics, which, in turn, directly depend on what the product will be made of.

Production stages:

First you need to prepare raw materials for production. Suitable for this: oil, manure and coal.
After the raw materials arrive at the plant, a special production technique is used: oil is hydrolyzed, then the resulting gas is converted into the desired product.
After that, the produced drink is poured into containers and sent to customers.

Drinkable has a slightly different production method:

First, raw materials are prepared for the production of ethyl alcohol, these can be: grains, potatoes, sugar cane and others.
After that, the raw materials are processed at the plant and yeast is added to it to start fermentation.
Further, the ethyl product is sent to distilleries that produce alcoholic beverages.

http://vse-vino.ru

Alcohol alpha and luxury which is better

The main factor that determines the dignity of vodka is the alcohol used. Its quality depends on several components:

Raw material.
The degree of purification.
Processing technique.

In GOST, production standards, compliance parameters, groups into which alcohol is divided are fixed. By quality, there are such varieties:

First grade.
Alcohol of the highest purity.
"Basis".
"Extra".
"Lux".
"Alpha".

Alpha alcohol is made from wheat and rye. Mixing is allowed. In any case, this is exclusively grain raw material, without any other additives. This is the highest quality alcohol. The content of methyl alcohol in it is allowed in a minimum amount, only 0.003%.

Alcohol Lux made from a mixture of grain and potatoes. The content of potato starch does not exceed 35%. The amount of methyl alcohol should not exceed 0.02%. This does not mean that Lux alcohol vodka is worse. Experts recommend choosing just such vodka if it is not possible to buy Alpha.

The percentage of raw materials is set by the terms of the contract, especially for exported vodka. The purer the alcohol, the better, both for the quality of vodka and for the health of the consumer. Alcohol of the highest degree of purification, that is, Alpha and Lux, contain the least fusel oils and harmful impurities.

The taste of such vodka is clean, pleasant, without foreign odors. Quality vodka has no sediment. If vodka is shaken in a bottle, it will flow down the walls quickly and evenly. A certain degree of viscosity indicates that a large amount of glycerin is present.

In Russia, vodka according to GOST can have the following alcohol content:

40,0-45,0%.
50,0%.
56,0% .

If you shake the vodka sharply, then in a quality product the foamy bubbles will disappear in a second. Alcohol is a good defoamer. Therefore, there can be no foam in real vodka.

Grain-based alcohol Lux is almost always used to prepare milestones of today's balms and various tinctures. It is used by all distilleries.

Lux or Alfa alcohol vodka belongs to the Premium and Super-premium class. This is a class of elite drinks. This also includes whiskey, gin, aged cognac. Such alcohol will not be cheap, as it has the best quality and a special mild taste.

Moreover, "premium" vodka has a greater degree of protection against fakes. A special shape of the bottle, often with a characteristic embossed pattern, a special cap, a hologram on the label.

Super-premium vodka differs from "premium" vodka by a higher price and certain production features. For example, rare ingredients, a unique manufacturing process, or more intricate and complex packaging.

Products that have a luxury class can be used:

For fuel.
For various coolants.
For solvents.
In the chemical industry (for the manufacture of ethyl citate, triethyl ether, acetic acid, etc.)
For the manufacture of antiseptics, etc.

Choosing vodka based on Lux or Alpha alcohol, you are unlikely to risk getting a fake. This vodka is perfect both for a home feast and as a solid gift. And of course, the pricing policy will be slightly higher than that of cheap crafts.

There is an opinion that Alpha-based vodka is much more difficult to find. Actually it is not. There are a number of organizations that take Alpha as a basis.

If you make a rating on the quality of alcohol, "Alpha" can be put in first place, "Lux" in honorary, second. Alcohol "Super" can compete with alpha alcohol, their quality is considered the highest.

The article described in detail the difference between alpha and lux alcohol. What features do they have and where are they used? Now I want to say a few words about harm.

Drinking alcohol, almost all of it contains alcohol, is very harmful to human health. It has a detrimental effect on internal organs, the liver, heart, and gastrointestinal tract suffer.

With abuse, various diseases are possible, the result of which can be fatal.

Also, it adversely affects the nervous system. It can lead not only to prolonged depression, but also to serious mental disorders.

Therefore, no matter how high-quality and wonderful alcohol and drinks based on it are, it should never be abused. The consequences will be very difficult to correct. Think about it, because at the present time alcoholism is gaining momentum more and more.

No matter how good and pure alcohol is, or rather the alcoholic drink made on it, think three times before drinking it. This is very detrimental to health. Even, at first glance, a high-quality balm can bring irreparable trouble.

Whoever likes it, we cook it ourselves

If we talk about the taste qualities of various types of alcohol, then you need to understand that the cheaper the alcohol is, the less it contains natural substances.

"Alpha" and "Lux" have an ethyl composition, which is produced on the basis of malt, when fermented under natural conditions. if you add purified water or spring water, a couple of secret ingredients to the composition, the result will be a great taste. And what is no less important, no hangover, but only pleasant impressions.

Alcoholic drinks based on alcohol Alpha and Lux will differ in pricing than, for example, drinks with Extra alcohol.

They are many times more expensive.

They also have much better and better packaging, original packaging. Therefore, if you decide to have a good rest, relax and not have a headache in the morning, then it is better to choose an Alpha or Lux class drink. If the goal is just to forget, then you can save money.

You can prepare an elite alcoholic drink at home. we will give examples of several recipes using Lux alcohol.

Peppercorn.

Capsicum red pepper - 1 piece.
Cloves - 2 pieces.
Fragrant black pepper - 6 peas are enough.
Alcohol-based vodka "Alpha" - half a liter.
If you put all the ingredients on the bottom of the container, the cloves and peppercorns will float. To avoid this, they can be placed in a pepper pod. It is pre-cut, and the seeds are taken out. After 5 days, you can conduct a tasting.

Kedrovka. For cooking you will need:

Pine nuts (not peeled) - 0.5 kilograms.
Water (needed for nuts) - 2 liters.

Cooking method:

The nuts are put in a saucepan and poured with water, let them boil for 5 minutes, then the water is completely changed, and boiled for another 5 minutes.
The nuts are laid out in a colander, and wait until the water drains.
I fill the nuts with vodka.
The container with the future tincture is placed in a warm and dark room. Let it brew for 14 days. As a result, you will learn a high-quality and fragrant tincture that cannot be found on store shelves.

Vodka + cognac. For such an interesting recipe you will need:

Soda - half a teaspoon.
Cloves - 2 pieces.
Sugar - a teaspoon.
Bay leaf - 2 pieces.
Alcohol-based vodka Alpha - 3 liters.
Vanillin - on the tip of a knife.
Oak bark powder - a teaspoon.
Black pepper - 3 peas.
Coffee (necessarily instant) - a teaspoon.
Tea leaves from high quality tea - a teaspoon.

All the ingredients are put in one bowl and put on the stove, simmer over low heat. It is desirable that the lid be glass, but the hole must be sealed, for example, with the pulp of bread. Immediately before boiling, the container is removed from the fire and put in a cool place. When the drink has cooled, it should be well filtered through gauze, bottled and put in the refrigerator.

Lemon vodka. For cooking you will need:

Alcohol-based vodka Alpha - 400 milliliters.
Water - 60 milliliters.
Lemon is a thing.

Cooking technology:

Pour boiling water over the lemon, carefully cut off the peel from it.
The zest is cut into thin slices and placed in a bottle.
Water is mixed with vodka and allowed to brew in the refrigerator for several hours.
Squeeze lemon juice into a separate jar.
Water-vodka infusion is divided into 2 parts. Lemon juice is poured into one, the second is poured into the zest.
Both containers are tightly twisted, let them brew for 14 days in a dry and dark place.
Before serving, drinks should be filtered.

http://o-polze.com

How to distinguish industrial alcohol from drinking

Industrial alcohol poisoning is one of the most severe. Even with the use of a small amount of this substance, the human body receives serious poisoning, which often leads to death. Now we will figure out how to distinguish methanol from ethanol.

The events that took place in the Czech Republic, in which several thousand people were poisoned from counterfeit alcohol, make this information extremely relevant and very important.

How to distinguish industrial alcohol from drinking? The main problem is the lack of differences in taste, color and smell of edible alcohol and methyl alcohol, which is also called technical. This is the main cause of poisoning. Most often, ethanol is found in a variety of household chemicals. However, there are times when methyl alcohol is sold under the guise of medical or food.

Options for determining methyl alcohol

Origin. Buy alcoholic beverages only in specialized stores whose reputation you are sure of. In this case, the likelihood of stumbling upon counterfeit alcohol is much less than when buying in stalls and other dubious places.
Fire. The easiest way to check what kind of alcohol you are dealing with is to set it on fire. After the substance has ignited, note the color of the fire. Ethanol will have a blue fire, while methanol will have a green fire.
potato test. How to distinguish technical alcohol from drinking alcohol using potatoes? Take a small piece of a raw potato and drop it for a couple of hours in the alcohol you are testing. In the event that the potato changes its color and acquires a pinkish tint, you have technical alcohol in front of you. If the vegetable does not change its color, there is ethyl alcohol in the container.
Formaldehyde method. This method is considered perhaps the most reliable. It is necessary to take a copper wire and glow it on a stove or on another source of fire. Then, with a hot edge, it must be lowered into a bottle of alcohol. A specific smell that has appeared indicates that you have technical alcohol in front of you. Ethyl alcohol, unlike methanol, should not emit any odor upon contact with the wire.

Symptoms and consequences of poisoning

Symptoms that occur with methanol poisoning:

painful breathing;
Strong headache;
pain in the abdomen and lower back;
profuse vomiting;
general malaise of the body;

It should be noted that the first symptoms of technical alcohol poisoning are similar to simple alcohol poisoning. However, in the case of methanol, the consequences will be comparable to a disaster. It very quickly destroys vision, the nervous system and blood vessels.

Severe poisoning occurs when using only 5 - 10 ml of the substance. Death occurs from 30 or more milliliters of the substance.

In the event that a person becomes ill after taking alcoholic beverages, doctors advise immediately calling an ambulance.
https://alcorecept.com

How is alcohol obtained? Recipes for making alcohol at home!

First you need to understand how the production of ethyl alcohol is carried out. Obtaining alcohols occurs in the process of rectification. At home, this is quite feasible if you follow our recommendations!

The first thing you need to know is alcohol (at least at home), you can only make it from raw alcohol, that is, from distilled mash. From the original material - mash (alcohol is formed during fermentation) - you will not get pure ethyl alcohol at home.

Moonshine, as a rule, has an alcohol content of about 60-80% vol. Raw materials for alcohol are most preferably diluted to about 40-45% vol. Why is this done when home-brewing alcohol? The fact is that with such a strength of the product, a much better separation of “heads” and “tails” is obtained, which, as with distillation, must be separated when distilling moonshine at home.

So, we figured out that the production of alcohol at home begins with the manufacture of mash, and then - raw alcohol. Next, we proceed directly to the home distillation of alcohol. If you have already decided on a distillation column, then you should know what kind of heating is considered effective for it.

We would like to immediately note that on installations with a height of less than 1.5 m, large heating will be irrational. For example, in the case of the Shanghai apparatus manufactured by Max Cuprum, the actual heating (without heat losses) should be about 350 kW, but taking into account heat losses, the heating power can be about 700 kW.

Heat losses are calculated individually for each distillation unit.

Getting ethyl alcohol begins with the fact that you must pour the raw alcohol into the distillation cube. Experienced moonshiners would also advise you to add one tsp for every 10 liters of raw. soda (food). It is needed for the saponification of esters, as well as the neutralization of organic acids.

First, to make alcohol at home, you need to start heating the assembly complete with moonshine. When the contents of the distillation cube reach a temperature of about 60 degrees, the heating should be reduced to the “working” one, which we indicated above.

The product outlet will need to be shut off and the column “work for itself” for about half an hour (no less). It is important that for safety reasons you have an atmospheric fitting open (or any other connection to the atmosphere, for example, in the case of Shanghai, this is an unpressurized removable cover).

If the raw alcohol starts to ooze from the atmosphere, you need to reduce the heat, as You are faced with a common phenomenon - choking.

It is important that in order to obtain high-quality alcohol, the temperature of the product must be sufficiently high (much higher than room temperature). This is explained by the fact that the temperature difference between the steam entering the column and the reflux must be minimal for an effective heat and mass transfer process.

For the production of edible alcohol, after the installation has "worked for itself", it is necessary to establish an effective selection rate. In the case of Shanghai, this is 350 ml / h.

But it is important to take into account that the "heads" for obtaining alcohol from food raw materials should be taken as slowly as possible, at a rate of about 30-40 ml / h. They will make up about 2% of the raw alcohol poured into the distillation still and contain impurities that significantly degrade the quality of the product. Therefore, if you are thinking about how to quickly make alcohol, we have to disappoint you: no way.

We return to the question - how to make good alcohol at home! After the selection of the “heads” (which, by the way, smell of acetone, and their strength, if you do everything right, should be about 94-95% by volume), the selection of the next, intermediate, fraction, circulating alcohol, will begin. It, as a rule, makes up 10-30% of the distilled raw alcohol and is not an alcohol of the “alpha” group, which is exactly what we want to make alcohol at home.

The amount of recycled alcohol is determined thanks to the Lang test: add 200 mg of potassium permanganate to 1 liter of water, mix and incubate for 2 days. After this time, the test solution is considered ready!

Take 50 ml of rectified, add 1 ml of solution and note the time. Then you need to take the same amount of water and add the same amount of solution - this will be a sample for comparing the rate of acquiring the same color with rectified alcohol. If raw alcohol acquired such a color in less than 10-20 minutes (everyone has different requirements for alcohol), then this is circulating alcohol.

If more than this time, then this is a food fraction.

So, if you are thinking about how to make alcohol at home, you should know that you will definitely need to do a Lang test.

The food fraction, like the tail fraction, in our case should be taken at a rate of about 350 ml/h. It usually ends when the boiling point reaches 85 gr. (but it may end a little earlier, for example, at 82 gr., If the organoleptic properties of the rectified product no longer satisfy).

Rectification, as a rule, is continued until the bottom temperature reaches 98 g. Then the heating is turned off.

Both recycled alcohol and the tail fraction will be useful to you for subsequent rectifications, because they contain a large amount of ethyl alcohol. How to get ethyl alcohol from these fractions - just like we described above.
https://maxcuprum.ru

Hello dear readers! Developing the theme of the quality of alcoholic products, I decided to take a closer look at the very heart of any vodka, its basis. The article will discuss which alcohol is better than Alfa Lux or Extra and what drinks it is used to create.

Do you think that the highest purity alcohol is the best? Do you think that each species is equally purified and safe for the body? Be patient, I will reveal to you a few secrets, knowing which you will radically change your views on vodka and the principle of its choice!

Varieties of alcohol and their differences

Ethyl alcohol is a component that is widely used in alcoholic beverages. That is why it falls under the mandatory requirements of standardization and is divided into types according to GOST R 51652-2000. Let's take the most common varieties in the Russian Federation and study their differences, strengths and weaknesses. A small table of characteristics will help with this.

Indicator	Alcohol Extra	Alcohol Lux	Alcohol Alpha
Ethanol content, %	from 96.3	from 96.3	from 96.3
Methanol content %	up to 0.02	up to 0.02	up to 0.003
Mass fraction of aldehydes mg/dm3	up to 2	up to 2	up to 2
Mass fraction of fusel oils in mg/dm3	up to 5	up to 5	up to 5
Oxidability, min at 20ᵒС	up to 20	up to 22	up to 20
Mass fraction of esters mg/dm3	to 10	up to 5	to 10
Mass fraction of free acids %	up to 12	up to 8	up to 12

The differences are not significant, but this is only at first glance. Take a closer look and you will see that there is almost 10 times less methyl alcohol in Alpha than in other varieties. And, as you know, this is a terrible poison, even in small doses leading to blindness or even death.

Let us consider the varieties of alcohol in more detail, from the standpoint of their use in various quality vodka drinks.

Alpha

Alcohol based on wheat or rye grains, sometimes mixtures thereof. The advantages of Alpha and the main differences from the rest of the ethyl raw materials are that potatoes are not used in its production. Potatoes contain pectin, which is subsequently processed into methanol.

It is this alcohol that is the basis of Super and Premium class vodkas. It undergoes purification in several stages, it is considered fifth generation alcohol.

For the Super-Premium segment, it is supposed to purify not only the ethyl part of the content, but also the water. For such vodka, water from unique sources or purification with precious metals is used.

It is made from wheat grain with the addition of potatoes. The percentage of starch does not exceed 35%, but it is. The filtration of this alcohol is carried out in several stages. Lux is used for the Premium segment and is always presented as a product made according to a unique recipe.

You should not be distrustful of this statement of the manufacturers, because thanks to the effective purification technology, the taste of Lux vodkas is truly unique.

Extra

It is made from grains of wheat and potatoes. The percentage ratio is much higher than that of Lux and should not exceed 60%. Extra is a popular alcohol.

And although it does not reach the premium in terms of content, it is no less high quality and has individual characteristics. Depending on the manufacturer, spring water and various natural filter products are used to make it, giving it a characteristic taste.

Sleeps of the highest purity

We examined the characteristics of the highest quality ethyl products. But what about the highest purity alcohol? Despite the pretentious name, it is he who undergoes the least thorough filtration and contains both fusel components and various esters. This is an alcohol of the lower segment, which is distinguished by a low quality indicator.

Taste and color...

As for the taste characteristics of vodka from various alcohols, it is worth understanding that the cheaper the drink, the less natural components are invested in it. So Alpha and Lux is an ethyl composition, which is produced on the basis of malt, with natural fermentation. Let's add the spring water with which they are kneaded, a few secret ingredients and get an excellent taste, no hangover and a lot of positive.

With Extra, things are different. Malt is replaced by enzymes, not always organic, and water, well, if it is taken from an Artesian spring or a local spring. From this ethyl base, drinks are obtained that give the whole gamut of morning hangover experiences, often have a sharp taste and fragrance, and do not differ in packaging aesthetics.

And the main difference between Alpha, Lux and Extra alcohol is that the price tag for them varies. The first and second options are represented by expensive varieties of vodka, with branded packaging, in the original packaging. The third option is a consumer product and has a moderate cost, a nondescript label and a simple bottle, because the principle of the economy segment is that there is no point in overpaying!

In general, all three types of ethyl alcohol were not invented in vain. They create a balance and satisfy the consumer demand of any budget. And it remains for us, the buyers, to decide whether we want to get the maximum pleasure from a noble drink and not experience morning discomfort, or we plan to forget, and a simpler drink is suitable for this.

Follow my blog for updates and share your favorite articles on social networks. And I guarantee you the most relevant and fresh information!

Sincerely, Dorofeev Pavel.

Medical alcohol cannot be distinguished by smell or color from industrial alcohol, which should never be consumed because it contains methyl. This substance causes severe intoxication and can even lead to death of a person. Despite the fact that it is also a toxic substance, but with its moderate use, there is no threat to life. What is its composition?

What is medical alcohol?

Medical alcohol is a type of ethanol.

This is the purest product without any impurities. It consists of alcohol (from 96.4 to 96.7%) and water (about 4%).

Because of this composition, it began to be used not only in medicine, but also in the food industry. At home, they drink it in a diluted form, it turns out alcohol of 40% strength.

You can buy it at a pharmacy. It is sold in bottles of various dosages. Appears to be a clear liquid.

Unlike industrial alcohol, it is made only from food raw materials. It can be raw materials such as potatoes, wheat, corn, millet, rye, oats, barley, beets or molasses. In some cases, berries or grapes are used as raw materials, then wine-grade ethyl alcohol is obtained, which is used to make wine.

Unlike medical alcohol, industrial alcohol cannot be drunk, since it is produced from synthetic raw materials by hydrolysis from wood or petroleum products. Mainly used as a fuel or solvent.

All alcohols contain ethanol, but only medical alcohol is the highest purity ethyl alcohol, which is why it is so popular in various industries.

Ethyl alcohol is highly soluble in water, glycerin and acetic acid.

Where is this type of alcohol used?

Application

Despite the fact that the instructions for this product say that it can only be used externally for disinfection, it is also used internally, in the form of alcohol.

But first of all, this type of alcohol is used in medicine as:

antiseptic for wounds, cuts, scratches;
a preparation for treating the hands of a doctor, an instrument, an operating field and the skin of a patient during an operation;
a disinfectant and drying agent that kills all bacteria and infections on the surface of the skin;
solvent or preservative for tinctures, drugs, extracts based on plant materials;

a drug that is used for artificial ventilation of the lungs;
means for the treatment of any damage to the skin;
antipyretic rubdown for fever;
substances for compresses for sore throats;
anesthesia, especially in the field of operations.

Apply the product with a cotton swab to the area of \u200b\u200bthe skin that needs to be disinfected.

Rubbing alcohol is the only one of all ethanols that can become an antidote for poisoning with toxic alcohol substances such as methanol or ethylene glycol.

With immediate ingestion, it reduces the concentration of toxic metabolites.

Ethyl alcohol is an indispensable substance in medicine, not a single manipulation and operation takes place without it, because even the injection site, before and after the procedure, is processed for disinfection. Doctors use a remedy of 90%, 70%, and 40% strength. For example, for rubdowns and compresses, it is a 40% solution that is used to avoid burns.

In addition to medicine, this type of alcohol is also used in the food industry. Ethyl alcohol is a component of alcoholic beverages, as well as some drinks that are obtained as a result of fermentation, such as kvass, kefir or non-alcoholic beer.

In the confectionery and bakery industry, ethanol is used as a preservative or flavoring solvent.

But medical alcohol is used and not for its intended purpose. Since this drug is freely available, many people with alcohol addiction use it instead of alcohol in its pure form. In this case, alcohol can be life-threatening, because in order not to burn the mucous membrane of the stomach and throat, you can drink it only in a diluted form. You can dilute with juice or water, and the strength of the resulting alcohol should not exceed 50 degrees, and even better 40 degrees.

Despite the fact that this type of alcohol does not contain such harmful substances as methanol, but if it is used incorrectly, especially inside, you can get serious illnesses.

Harm to the body

The instructions for this medical product indicate that its main purpose is skin disinfection, in addition, it cannot be applied to areas of the skin with acute inflammation, since the inflammatory process may intensify due to the warming effect.

The remedy is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance and the age of the child under 14 years of age. Use with caution by pregnant and lactating mothers. If redness or irritation is noted after application to the skin, the area should be washed immediately with water. In this case, the use of the drug is prohibited.

Also, do not apply alcohol to the skin around the eyes, as this can cause burns to the mucous membrane. Since the agent is not absorbed into the skin when applied topically, it does not affect a person's ability to drive a vehicle in any way.

If it is not used for its intended purpose, then in this case ethyl alcohol can become a toxic substance or even have a narcotic effect. It depends on the dose, method of application, concentration and duration of exposure.

The fact is that ethanol, which is part of medical alcohol, evaporates, and at high concentrations of these fumes, poisoning of the body is possible.

In some cases, with an overdose when ingested or when a large concentration of ethanol is inhaled in the form of fumes, the functions of the central nervous system are inhibited. There may be coma, stupor or severe alcohol intoxication, which leads to the appearance of symptoms of intoxication of the body.

With frequent use of this type of alcohol, addiction occurs and alcohol dependence develops. In the body of an alcoholic, endorphins are produced, which enhances the desire and drug addiction to alcohol.

Important! Ethanol is a poisonous substance that can cause acute poisoning or even death. With a single use of 4 to 12 g of ethanol per 1 kg of human weight, death is inevitable.

With the abuse of ethyl alcohol, serious diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract) appear, such as ulcers, gastritis, cirrhosis, cancer of the liver, stomach or esophagus. Various cardiovascular diseases also develop.

When using undiluted ethyl alcohol, a burn of the esophageal mucosa occurs.

Alcohol dependence causes damage to cells and neurons of the brain, their destruction and death, resulting in various brain diseases and mental disorders.

It is worth remembering that ethanol affects not only the internal organs, but also the nervous system, thereby changing the behavior and character of a person. This leads to constant depression, social degradation, human apathy towards everything and suicides.

The product must be used strictly according to the instructions and not used after the expiration date.

Methyl alcohol poisoning is a very dangerous disease that can lead to very serious consequences and even death. Methyl negatively affects the human nervous system, the heart, liver and other organs.. In case of poisoning, they need to urgently provide proper medical care, otherwise the person may die. It is very important to be able to distinguish methyl from ethyl, since methyl alcohol cannot be taken orally.

The difference between the effects of methyl and ethyl alcohol on the body

Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is a depressant that is added to alcoholic beverages. Because of this, they have an intoxicating effect. Ethyl alcohol is medical and food, that is, it is safe for human health in a small amount.. True, with prolonged use of alcohol based on ethanol, dependence on it is formed.

Ethanol is obtained by distillation of a fermented solution. It turns out alcohol of high concentration, but before use it must be diluted with water, otherwise a burn of the oral mucosa and esophagus is possible. You can get natural moonshine at home, using a special moonshine still.

Homemade alcohol tastes no different from the purchased one. But subject to all the technologies for its manufacture, the quality of the resulting moonshine is very high. Therefore, many recommend preparing alcoholic beverages on their own.

Methyl alcohol, or methanol, is a monoatomic substance that is a poison to the human body. It is extracted from formic acid, lignin and wood. It is used in the industrial field as a solvent for paints. In addition, it is applied in the formaldehyde production process. Methanol is absorbed much more slowly than ethanol, therefore, in the process of oxidation, a number of extremely toxic substances are formed in the body.

That is why methanol depresses the nervous system, affects the retina. Therefore, people often go blind as a result of drinking low-quality alcohol. The use of methyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol can lead to serious poisoning. Even small doses lead to death.

How to independently distinguish methyl from ethyl

The fact is that it is rather problematic to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol, since they have the same color, taste and smell. True, ethanol has a more pronounced aroma, while methyl alcohol is almost neutral. So if, after sniffing the liquid, it seems to you that the smell is unusual, it is better not to drink such alcohol. Therefore, you need to check alcohol before you drink it. There are several basic ways to do this.

Method 1. Ignite the liquid

This is the simplest method to determine the quality of an alcoholic beverage. To do this, a small amount of liquid is poured into a saucer and alcohol is set on fire.

You can also take a cotton swab, soak it in alcohol and set it on fire. Wherein ethanol will burn with a blue flame, but methanol will burn with green.

Although it must be borne in mind that the reaction appears only if the methyl alcohol is pure, without various impurities of additives.

Method 2. Use potatoes

You can also check the quality of alcohol with the help of potatoes. To do this, one medium-sized potato is peeled, and then poured with alcohol. The amount of alcohol should be such that it completely covers the surface of the vegetable. Potatoes will not affect the taste of alcohol in any way, so they can be consumed if they pass the test.

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If after a few hours it did not change color, it means that it was in edible ethyl alcohol. It usually turns pink in methanol.. In addition, the alcohol itself should not change color either. In natural alcohol, starch from potatoes is not released, but in methanol, its particles enter the liquid. As a result, she becomes cloudy.

Method 3. Heating

To determine what alcohol is in front of you, you need to boil the liquid. To do this, pour about 200 ml of alcohol into a dish that can be heated, and put it on fire. During the procedure, it is necessary to use a thermometer, since it is necessary to measure at what temperature boiling will begin. For ethanol - 80 degrees, and for methyl alcohol - only 60.

Method 4. Reaction to potassium permanganate and soda

Potassium permanganate or potassium permanganate is an oxidizing agent that does not affect food alcohol. Therefore, when it is added to ethanol, no reaction will occur during the heating of the mixture. But if it's methanol, the liquid will start to sizzle. In this case, a strong smell of formalin will appear. After all, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde, and ethanol to acetaldehyde. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use any other oxidizing agent.

Baking soda is also added to the liquid. After that, the solution is stirred. In food alcohol, an insoluble yellow precipitate should appear, which occurs during the reaction of ethanol and iodine. But in methyl alcohol, soda will completely dissolve and the liquid will become transparent.

Method 5. Formaldehyde test

It is believed that the most reliable way to determine methanol in alcohol is a formaldehyde test. For its implementation, they take a thin copper wire and heat it on fire. After that, they are immersed in alcohol. Then you need to smell it: if there is a strong smell of formalin, you cannot drink such a drink. After all, ethanol, when reacting with copper wire, emits the smell of apple cider vinegar.

Method 6. Lang's test

To check the quality of the alcohol consumed, you can conduct the so-called Lang test. Research can be done at home. For this:

you need to take 50 ml of alcohol and pour it into a container that can be heated .;
then 0.2 g of potassium permanganate is diluted in 2 ml of distilled water.
alcohol is heated to 18 degrees, and then a solution of potassium permanganate is poured into it. The resulting mixture must be well mixed.

Now you need to note the time during which the color of the mixture will change its color from purple to pink. The longer this lasts, the higher the quality of the tested alcohol. A result is considered normal if the discoloration of alcohol lasted at least 10 minutes..

The main thing is to buy alcoholic beverages only in trusted places. It is better to buy it in stores, and not from the hands of people. In this case, the risk of accidental use of methanol is reduced significantly. Usually methyl alcohol is cheaper, although some sellers may pass it off as ethanol.

But it must be borne in mind that such methods are effective only if the alcohol contains a high concentration of methanol - more than half of the total volume. Therefore, if there is little methyl in alcohol or it contains impurities, then it is almost impossible to determine its presence in alcohol at home.

Therefore, one should not think that the experiments described above allow one to be 100% sure of the quality of the product used. Indeed, in alcoholic beverages, pure ethanol masks methanol additives. Therefore, if there is doubt about the quality and origin of an alcoholic beverage, it is better not to drink it.

Pure methanol is a very dangerous poison for humans. Just 50 grams leads to blindness. The lethal concentration of poisonous alcohol in the body is above 100 grams.. And even if a person remains alive, then his sight is unlikely to return to him.

Symptoms of methanol and ethanol poisoning

Poisoning with ethyl and methyl alcohol is distinguished by the symptoms of intoxication, as well as its course. For example, when poisoned with ethyl alcohol, a person has a headache and dizziness, he is sick, diarrhea or constipation is possible. In addition, for a while there is an aversion to food. At the same time, the repeated use of alcoholic beverages is possible only a few days after intoxication, since the smell of alcohol causes a gag reflex. In case of methanol poisoning, the following symptoms appear:

headache is sharp and sudden, then goes away, then reappears;
it becomes difficult for a person to breathe, there is severe pain in the chest area;
he experiences general malaise, weakness and lethargy;
there is severe pain in the abdomen.

Visual impairment is specific. Objects appear fuzzy and blurry. There is photophobia, while the pupils are dilated.

And although the symptoms of intoxication with methyl and ethyl alcohol are similar, they differ in severity. In the first case, poisoning is more acute and is extremely serious, leading to very serious consequences.

First aid

Methyl alcohol is a very dangerous product for the human body. If for some reason a person drank it, an urgent need to call a doctor at home. In the meantime, he arrives, it is recommended to provide first aid to the patient:

Immediately you need to clear the stomach. Good methyl poisonous alcohol is slowly absorbed into the blood, and remains in the gastrointestinal tract for some time. Therefore, with timely washing, complications can be avoided. For washing, you need to add a few crystals of potassium permanganate to a liter of warm water so that the resulting solution has a pink tint. It must be drunk in one gulp, which should provoke a gag reflex.
You also need to drink about 50-100 ml of ethanol. Due to this, the poison will be removed from the body faster.
If the poisoning is very acute, it is necessary to carry out hemodialysis. However, it is impossible to perform the procedure at home, so you should wait for the doctors.

The doctor may prescribe hospitalization of the patient or recommend treatment at home. One way or another, therapy should not be postponed, since death from taking methyl alcohol can occur in a few hours.

After intoxication with methyl alcohol, the consequences for a person can be extremely severe. For example, there is a syndrome of prolonged squeezing. In this case a person falls into a coma for a while, as a result of which muscle tissue is destroyed. In addition, the work of the kidneys is disrupted. Due to the transferred coma, heart and respiratory failure appears.

It must be remembered that even accidental use of methyl can lead to serious complications. Therefore, one should not drink it consciously. It is from the use of low-quality vodka that people who abuse alcohol most often die. After all, the lethal dose of methanol for humans is only 100 ml.