Distillation of Antonov Vodka

Arlie Bamiano*, Jealine Marie Bernabe, Petrenne Caimbon, Jhia Caso Department of Biology, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines

Abstract In order to determine the alcohol content of Antonov Vodka, it was subjected to a Simple Distillation process. Data were gathered and through certain stoichiometric equations, it was found out that Antonov Vodka contains 43.33% alcohol. It was also identified that there was a 16% loss, from the sample during the course of the experiment. The reliability of the result was evaluated through statistical analysis, and the experiment turned out to have an 8.33% error. Introduction Alcoholic beverages are widespread nowadays. It is served in many different occasions and is used by many for its psychoactive effects. One of the main components of this kind of beverage is ethanol, or what is commonly known as ethyl alcohol. The alcohol content of alcoholic beverages indicates how intoxicating it could get. In this experiment we consider the drink Antonov Vodka, an alcoholic beverage labeled to be 80 Proof, or 40% alcohol. The experiments goal is to determine the alcohol content of Antonov Vodka, a commercially sold alcoholic beverage in the Philippines. It also aims to evaluate whether or not it is more efficient to perform Fractional distillation over Simple Distillation. In order to achieve these desired objectives two groups were teamed up one Group would be performing Simple distillation while the other one Fractional distillation. Group I was teamed up with Group II (our group). The groups performed Fractional and Simple distillation respectively. Alcoholic beverages are composed of more than just ethanol, but also many other components, like water (H2O), different kinds of sugars, and many other liquid or non-liquid components. In order to know the alcohol content of a certain beverage it is prerequisite that we must isolate first the alcohol from the beverage sample. In order to achieve that isolation we used a certain process called Distillation.
1|Page

Distillation is a technique that is widely and most commonly used around the globe, in order to purify organic liquids. This process works on the principle of the difference in boiling points between liquids [2]. There are mainly two types of distillation. One is simple distillation, and the other one is Fractional distillation. In simple distillation, a liquid is boiled and the vapors work through the assembled distilling apparatus, which more or less looks like this.

Figure 1

The water is boiled and from the heated flask the water vapor moves up until it reaches the condenser where it is cooled and again is reliquified. The distillate (the condensed vapor) is collected in many test tubes in 0.5ml each. Fractional distillation (the distillation type used by Group I) on the other hand is almost the same as the simple distillation, except for the presence of a fractionating column which is inserted in the still head or is already installed inside it. The fractionating column is present in order to achieve the main principle of Fractional Distillation, which is repeated distillation [1]. As the water vapor rises it passes first through the fractionating column where it is repeatedly condensed and heated resulting in a much purer liquid. The final condensation of course happens in the condenser. The Fractionating column looks like this.

2|Page

Coiled Aluminum foil

Figure 2

In the group ones setup, coiled aluminum foil was used to serve as their fractionating column. It was inserted through the still head. The uncertainty in the collected distillate of whether or not it is alcohol is verified by utilizing one of ethanols properties, which is flammability. Flammability tests were ran to the different test tubes containing the assumed ethanol distillate.

Results and Discussion The Distillation of the 15 ml Antonov Vodka sample yielded 6.5 ml ethyl alcohol. As the sample was heated, several test tubes calibrated to 0.5 ml, was readied at the mouth of the adapter to collect the distillate. The test tube was changed successively every time the distillate fills the test tube and reaches the 0.5 ml calibrated volume level. The first drop of the distillate occurred at 72 C and was completely filled up to 0.5th calibration level at 73 C. The second test tube was filled again up to the 0.5th ml level and reached completion at 74 C. The experiment went on following the same procedure. At the course of the experiment, there occurred four sets of test tubes that completed the 0.5 ml required volume, at the same temperature. They were namely, test tubes 4 and 5, which was filled completely (at 0.5 ml) both at 81 C; test tubes 7 and 9, both filled at 83 C; test tubes 15, 16, 17, and 18, all at 96 C; and lastly test tubes number 19, 20, and 21, the final set which was all filled at 97 C. The collection of the distillate reached up to the 21st test tube all in all at 97 C.

3|Page

This table shows the data mentioned above.

Table 1

Test Tube Volume Temperature Flammability number (ml) (C) Test 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1st drop 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 72 73 74 80 81 81 82 83 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 96 96 96 96 97 97 97

Because, the collection of the distilled liquid was stopped short before reaching 100C, it is assumed that the collected distillate is more or less ethanol, and far be it to be water (H2O), which evaporates at exactly 100 C. However, in order to make certain that the formulated assumption was right, one property of Ethanol was utilized, i.e. its flammability. Ethanol is a flammable liquid; thus it must light fire. Flammability tests were performed to all twenty-one test tubes. The order of test was from the 21st up to the 1st test tube in order to increase certainty. It was found out that the 1st test tube up to the 13th test tube contained genuine Ethyl alcohol (ethanol), while the remaining others either contained water (H2O), or other non-flammable liquid component of Antonov Vodka.

4|Page

Because all the test tubes contain 0.5 ml ethanol, the thirteen filled test tubes total to 6.5 ml ethanol or ethyl alcohol. With these data, the percent alcohol was computed using the formula:

And it follows that:

Equation 1.1

Thus, Antonov Vodka contains approximately 43.33% ethyl alcohol (ethanol). Through statistical methods, the accuracy of the experimental findings was evaluated.

Equation 2.1

This means that the experimental value of the percent alcohol obtained differs to about 8.33% from the actual value. An 8.33 % error is a considerable percentage error. It entails that the experiment performed is quite efficient. The remaining test tubes, which are test tubes number 14 to 21, are termed be nonethanol distillate. Their volume was also noted. They total to 4 ml. To compute for the total distillate volume, the volume of ethanol which is 6.5 ml is added to the volume of the nonethanol distillate which is 4 ml. It is shown by:

5|Page

Equation 3

The volume of the residue, which is the non-evaporated liquid, which remained at the pearshaped flask, was also noted. It reached to a total of 2.1 ml. It is also important that we compute for the percent loss of the experiment. Percent lost dictates the efficiency of the experiment. Using the data above, i.e. the volume of the sample, volume ofthe distillate, and volume of the residue, we could already compute for the percent loss. To compute for the percent loss, we use:

Equation 4.1

This loss may be associated to some of the vapors that escaped during the distillation process, or the like. It could also be that some of the sample actually spilled. Here, we see that 16 % of the actual sample was lost during the distillation process. We could associate to this loss some of the inaccuracies in our percent alcohol yield. We conclude then that because there is a 16 % loss, the experimental distillation set-up is actually not 100 % efficient. The Simple distillation set up performed by our group (Group II) has a 16 % loss of sample that occurred during the experiment. Still, it was obtained that with that 16 % loss of sample, in the distillation process; Antonov Vodka contains 43.33 % ethyl alcohol or ethanol. This 43.33 percentage yield of ethyl alcohol has an 8.33 % error from the actual 40% content of the commercially sold product.

6|Page

Group I, the other group in our team, performed Fractional distillation, which is a process considered to be much more efficient than the simple distillation. They on the other hand, obtained the results given by the table that follows.
Table 2

Test Tube Volume Temperature Flammability number (ml) (C) Test 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1st drop 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 69 70 76.5 77 77.5 78 78.5 79 80.5 84 89 93.5 96 97 97 97

All in all, the first group consumed only fifteen test tubes. As compared to our group, Group I was able to fill three consecutive test tubes at the same temperature, which is 97 C with only 15 test tubes. The genuine ethyl alcohol that they were able to collect was only up to the 9th test tube. Thus the volume of their alcohol was 4.5 ml. the remaining 6 more test tubes total to 3 ml, making their distillate volume 7.5 ml. their measured residue reached to about 1.42 ml. Their percent alcohol, percent loss, and percent error, were derived as follows: Given that: Vol. of Alcohol = 4.5 ml Vol. of Distillate = 7.5 ml Vol. of Residue = 1.42 ml

7|Page

Equation 1.2

Equation 4.2

Equation 2.2

Here it is clearly shown that Group I, with the use of Fractional Distillation, obtained a 40.53 % loss from the sample, and derived that Antonov Vodka contains 30 % Ethyl Alcohol or ethanol. Their alcohol yield shows a 25 % error, which means that the experimental value obtained for the alcohol content differs greatly from the actual alcohol content of the commercially sold Antonov Vodka. Comparing the result of both groups, with all the data and information considered it is rational to conclude that Simple distillation, with an 8.33 % error, is more efficient than, Fractional Distillation, which obtained 25 % error.

8|Page

Experimental First, the working area was cleaned and prepared. Then the distillation apparatus was set. The following materials were readied for assembling the Distillation Apparatus: 2 pcs. Boiling chips, 1 pear-shaped flask, a buret clamp, an iron-stand, still head, thermometer, condenser, 2 rubber tubings, water circulator, an ice cream box, an adapter, a thermometer pocket, a Bunsen burner, rubber bands, test tubes calibrated to 0.5 ml, water, ice and 15 ml Antonov Vodka. 15 ml of Antonov Vodka was put inside the pear shaped flask. Then the pear-shaped flask was clamped to the iron stand. It was made sure that the buret-clamp holds the flask securely. The two boiling chips were put inside the flask, and then the still head was inserted to the flasks opening. In the still heads upper opening the thermometer pocket was inserted and inside the thermometer-pocket the thermometer was inserted. In the side opening of the still head the condenser was connected, and was secured by using rubber bands. In both the lower inlet, and the water outlet of the condenser, the two rubber tubings were connected. At the other port of the condenser (the port not connected to the still head), the adapter was connected, again secured by rubber bands. The balance of the set-up was double checked. Rubber bands were fastened to the parts with weak connections. After the set-up was secured, the rubber tubing of the lower inlet was connected to a water circulator. The water circulator and the other end of the rubber tubing connected to the water outlet were placed inside an ice-cream box half-filled with water. Some ice was also added to the water. Then the Bunsen burner was connected to a fuel source. It was lit, and set to have a bluish flame. After all these were set, the four group members were assigned four different tasks. The tasks were; data recorder, temperature reader, distillate collector, and heater (one who holds the bunsen burner. Each test tube, were filled up to 0.5 ml only. Temperature was recorded every time a test tube is filled with 0.5 ml distillate. After the distillation was completed, the content of the test tubes were subjected to a Flammability test. Test tubes that responded positively or negatively to the flammability test were recorded. After all the needed data were gathered, calculations were performed to achieve the objectives. References

[1] Garcia, C. (2005). Organic chemistry. Manila, Philippines: UST Publishing House. [2] Simple Distillation. (n.d.). retrieved from http:// www.wfu .edu/chem/ courses/ organic/ distill/ distillation.htm

9|Page

Temperature Vs. Volume

120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12

10 | P a g e