US EPA

1457141 

Journal Article 

Volatile congeners in alcoholic beverages: analysis and forensic significance 

Jung, A; Jung, H; Auwaerter, V; Pollak, S; Farr, AM; Hecser, L; Schiopu, A 

2010 

1 

Romanian Journal of Legal Medicine
ISSN: 1221-8618 

18 

4 

265-270 

10.4323/rjlm.2010.265 

WOS:000286297200005 

http://www.rjlm.ro/?doc=1294847906
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Beside ethyl alcohol, the major active component of
alcoholic beverages, almost all drinks contain volatile and non-volatile substances called
congeners. They have various pharmacological effects and are present in different concentrations
depending on beverage type and manufacturing methods. We analyzed volatile congeners in five
samples of Romanian home-made plum spirits collected from four Transylvanian counties were double
distillation is used after fruits fermentation, by a GC method developed in the Institute of
Legal Medicine from Freiburg. Volumetric concentration of ethanol ranged between 52 and 76%.
Calibration with aqueous standards resulted in linearity with a correlation coefficient of over
0.995 for each congener. We found high amounts of isobutanol in our samples compared to beverages
listed in the literature, influencing forensic opinion concerning the time of ingestion in
correlation with concentration of 1.propanol. Another congener, usually absent in alcoholic
beverages, 1-butanol, was constantly present in all our spirit samples, meaning a limitation of
its use as a blood putrefaction marker. Volatile congener composition of all our samples complied
with EEC regulations with regard to fruit spirits. 

volatile congeners; fruit spirits; forensic expertise