Detection and quantitative determination of diethylene glycol in ethyl alcohol using gamma- ray spectroscopy

Abstract

Determination of the toxic diethylene glycol contamination in ethyl alcohol demands a rapid, accurate and reliable method. Diethylene glycol (DEG) ingestion, accidental or intentional, can lead to death. Clinical and analytical methods used to detect diethylene glycol in alcohol require several hours to days due to tedious instrument handling and measurements. Enzymatic assays face difficulty due to analytic problems. As an alternative method of data analysis, we have used γ-ray spectroscopic method to estimate the diethylene glycol contamination in alcohol by monitoring the variation in the linear and mass attenuation coefficients. This method is simple, robust, portable and can provide reliable and quantitative information about the ethyl alcohol adulterated with diethylene glycol which is of broader interest to society.

A Study on the Gamma-ray Attenuation Parameters of Some Commercial Salt Samples

“…There are various methods to obtain gamma-ray attenuation parameters in different areas. Gamma-ray attenuation parameters were calculated for soil [13], cane sugar of milk [14], diethylene glycol dissolved in ethyl alcohol [15], naphthalene dissolved in ethanol [16], dilute aqueous solutions of sugar (C6H12O6) [17], manganese (II) chloride [18], potassium chloride [19], ammonium sulfate [20], NaCl [31], lead nitrate [22], etc. [23,24].…”