Evaluation of the potential toxicity of illegal alcoholic beverages sold in moscow region (pilot study)
By means of gas chromatographic express method was studied 13 samples of illegal alcoholic beverages sold in that region: 7 specimens of moonshine (home-distilled vodka, ‘samogon’), 2 - braga (fermented mash), 2 - vodka, 1 - ethanol, 1 - fortified wine. It is shown that the content of acetaldehyde, higher alcohols (including 1-propanol, 2-propanol, isobutyl alcohol, 1-butanol, isopropanol), esters and methanol for moonshine is practical identical to the typical samples produced in different regions of Russia and Ukraine and the content of toxic substances does not exceed the average values characteristic of commercial distilled beverages. Content of acetaldehyde and higher alcohols in samples of braga converted to the 40-degree ethanol four times higher than the corresponding levels for the moonshine. In a sample of fortified wine the content of acetaldehyde, converted to the 40-degree ethanol, not exceed the values characteristic for commercial distilled beverages. Overall, the results of standard chromatographic analysis of a given illegal alcoholic beverages do not give any reasons to conclude that they have higher acute toxicity than commercial distilled beverages.