The Application of Site-Specific Natural Isotope Fractionation- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SNIF-NMR) to the Analysis of Alcoholic Beverages

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 3 Issue 5 (1998), S1430-4171(98)05252-7

The Application of Site-Specific Natural Isotope Fractionation- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SNIF-NMR) to the Analysis of Alcoholic Beverages

Jeffrey L. Cross,¹ Thomas N. Gallaher,¹* James J. Leary,¹ and Serge Schreiner²

¹Department of Chemistry, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and ²Department of Chemistry, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, VA 23005

Published online: 1 October 1998

Abstract. The relative deuterium concentration and specific deuterium-site locations in a molecule can be determined using Site-Specific Natural Isotope Fractionation-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SNIF-NMR). For a given compound (e.g., ethanol) SNIF-NMR can provide information about the chemical pathway of formation and, in some cases, information about the geographic origin of a sample can also be discerned. SNIF-NMR has been applied to the analysis of wines and other alcoholic beverages. In this work, data were collected on samples of apple brandy, tequila, rum, potato vodka, cognac, and synthetic ethanol. Signal-to-noise considerations limit the samples that can be studied without preconcentration to those with relatively high alcohol contents.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; NMR; deuterium; SNIF-NMR; ethanol; alcohol

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: gallahtn@jmu.edu)

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