Analyzing Toxic Chemical Components in Illegal Alcoholic Beverages

The illegal production of alcoholic beverages, due to the non-standard conditions, increases the risk of producing counterfeit and toxic products. The chemical analysis of toxic components in illegally-produced alcoholic beverages is necessary for each country. The present study aimed to identify the existence of methanol and other potentially toxic compounds in the seized illegally-produced alcoholic beverages.

In this descriptive laboratory-based study, we analyzed the toxic chemical components in sized illegally-produced alcoholic beverages, submitted to the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory of the Legal Medicine Center of Markazi Province, Arak City, Iran, in a year. A total of 100 seized illegally-produced alcohol beverage samples were collected. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of ethanol, methanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and acetone was performed by the Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection (GC–FID) method.

Methanol was detected in 6% of the evaluated samples (concentration range:1.2%-12%v/v). Acetone was detected in two of the studied samples (mean concentration: 0.7%v/v), and 2-propanol with a concentration of 0.5%v/v was found in one sample. Besides, ethanol was detected in all explored samples (mean concentration: 24%v/v).

Methanol was the main toxic chemical component in illegal alcoholic beverages; thus, it should be considered in public health policy and prevention programs in the country.