The use of13C/12C isotope abundance ratio for characterization of the origin of ethyl alcohol

The carbon isotope composition of ethyl alcohol produced during alcohol fermentation depended on the substrate used and was characterized by the value of δ13C equal to −24.7 ± 0.8%. (wheat grain), −22 ± 0.1%. (rye grain), −22 ± 0.5%. (products of wood hydrolysis), −15.3 ±0.3%. (maize grain) and −10 ± 0.1%. (sugar cane). The isotope composition of carbon of ethyl alcohol obtained during catalytic hydroxylation of ethylene has a δ13C of −30.6 ± 0.3%.. The possibility of quantitative determination of specific components in mixtures of ethanol samples with various isotope compositions (chemical synthesis and alcohol fermentation of raw material from C3 or C4 plants) was shown.