The alcohol is brewed legally under government supervisions and also illegally at unregistered breweries or homebrews, therefore not properly tested for safety and sold at low price to make money and its popular among low income communities, which can be proven as harmful sometimes. The chances of contamination are also there in illegal production due to errors in distillation or accidentally. Therefore, the addition of any foreign materials in alcohol like water, drugs, or sugars, thus on tamper its quantity/quantity is referred to as “Adulteration of alcohol”. According to section 272-273 of IPC, Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Consumer Protection Bill 2019, adulteration is a punishable offence. Adulteration can be done intentionally or unintentionally. Usually, most of the liquor retailers, bars, restaurants and clubs are known to intentionally commit adulteration of spirits and other alcoholic beverages by “watering-down” their liquor to increase their sales and to set aside money and in wine for sweetness enhancement end up by adding some starch and sugar sources, apart from grapes. Methanol has been added to liquor and legitimately created wines to build their “chomp” and ethylene glycol to expand their sweetness. During illegal production the unintentional contamination of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, ashes, copper etc.), higher alcohols, acetaldehyde, etc. can occur. The methanol and additionally ethylene glycol or drugs can be demonstrated as lethal and might be deadly also.

EFFECTS ON HUMAN BODY

Alcohol, when consumed in large quantity, suppress the central nervous system and effects the individual symptoms be like slurred speech, vomiting, blackouts, hallucinations and the adverse effects are liver damage, stomach dysfunction, and cancer sometimes, which are harmful and even fatal.

As per the definition by World Health Organization “Illegally manufactured spirit    drinks or adulterated counterfeit consumption can cause methanol poisoning”

However, the low concentrations of naturally present methanol are not as such harmful, but higher concentrations may be toxic. Once consumed, methanol is broken down into two major compounds i.e. formic acid and formaldehyde, which are toxic and deadly when taken in large amounts. Methanol poisoning symptoms in the initial, when the formic acid concentrates in the body, an individual start experiencing fatigue, feel unstable and disinhibited. With time these symptoms will increases rapidly into a vertigo, stomach pain headache and vomiting and in some cases, patient suffers from nausea, lack of breath, and often encounters with irregular muscle contraction(convulsions) and permanent visual impairment. Isopropyl alcohol present in hand sanitizers is consumed sometimes intentionally or unintentionally causes toxicity, when metabolized forms ketone, in severe cases symptoms may be hemorrhagic gastritis, ketosis, or hypoglycemia. Most casualties look for clinical consideration after a huge deferral, which adds to the significant level of morbidity and mortality.

The other toxic substance added to alcohol and its products is ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is a sweet liquid and also odorless and colorless usually found in antifreeze.  Even consumption (accidentally or intentionally) of very little amount may end up into toxicity and death. When consumed in huge amounts poisoning is caused by ethylene glycol called ethylene glycol poisoning. When in a person’s body ethylene glycol metabolizes, crystalline compounds are produced which can affects the functioning kidneys when get accumulated. Ethylene glycol can alter the acid/base balance of the body by producing acidic compounds which eventually effects individual lungs, heart and nervous system. Symptoms may include, vomiting, headache, nausea, convulsions, daze (diminished level of readiness) or indeed coma. Metabolic acidosis and kidney failure are considered as major drawbacks of poisoning due to ethylene glycol. Undesirable and unpredictable consequences can be seen when alcohol is consolidated with medications (prescribed or not prescribed). Ingestion of alcohol along with some type of drug results in the “synergistic effect”. As the drug combines with alcohol it will build the impacts of alcohol on your body. Cocaine, marijuana, opioids, nicotine, quinine etc. are well-known common illegal drugs which are usually blended with alcohol. When alcohol and drugs are combines in the body, the aftereffects of each are extraordinarily enhanced resulting in unpredicted side effects and considerable impairment (coordination, perception, and ability of judgment). It can also result into arrested breathing, fluctuation in pulse rate and blood pressure, unconsciousness, coma, and potential death. As energy drinks contains large amount of ginseng, caffeine, taurine, and other herbal components, so their mixing with alcohol may lead to similar synergistic effect on one’s body.

DETECTION AND ANALYSIS OF ADULTERANTS

In most of the cases, the circumstances or blood test are considered as helpful measures for detection of poisoning. Various organs like brain, lung, liver and kidney and also blood can be analyzed for the concentration of methanol and formic acid in the body. With the help of Head Space Gas Chromatography (head space-GC) coupled with FID detector we can analyze the ethylene glycol and formic acid present in blood and tissues. The use of brain tissues, serum, plasma, vitreous humor, vomit, urine etc. could also help to enhance the analysis of drug-alcohol intoxication. Renal histology slides in ethylene glycol poisoning cases were examined and graded by polarized light microscopy, birefringent oxalate crystals in renal tissue can be observed.

In case alcohol bottles or glasses or containers are found on crime scene ,the following methods of identifying the composition of alcohols can be adapted, including site-specific natural isotope fractionation nuclear magnetic resonance (SNIF-NMR),it detects adulteration in alcohol on the behalf of isotopic ratio of carbon and hydrogen , High Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC), Ultra Violet-visible spectrophotometry(UV/VIS), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrographic analysis (GC-MS) Fourier-transform infrared spectrum analysis (FTIR),different Gas Chromatography detectors such as Flame Ionization Detector, Thermal Conductivity Detector (GC-FID, ECD and TCD), Electron Capture Detector and, and Ion Chromatography. Beer can be tested in different ways like FTIR and Proton NMR to determine its type and if there might are complete fraud. A simple procedure can be carried out for detection of rum and vodka and rum by using GC-FID or ion chromatography. Compounds like, acetaldehyde, chloride, n-propanol, nitrate, ethanol, and iso-butanol can be detected using gas chromatography. Tequila can be analyzed by using fluorescence spectroscopy. Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, copper etc. can also be detected by chemical as well as instrumental means.

CONCLUSION

Adulteration of alcohol and its products is mostly done with water, sugars, methanol and ethylene glycol, to extend the sale and to gain profit. The chemical compounds added can be proven as toxic and even fatal, they can cause poisoning sometimes or effect the individual very badly or even may cause death. As the treatment purpose ethanol is used as antidote in some cases of methanol, ethylene glycol or isopropyl alcohol poisoning. In case of any casualty the blood of the victim or patient is analyzed and in death cases different body organs/tissues are also examined. There are various instrumental methods GC-FID, FTIR etc., which can be used for detection of various adulterants present as well as to analyze their concentration in the person’s body.

REFERENCES

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Author :- Chhavi Singh, Intern at Legal Desire 

Miss Chhavi Singh, at present she is pursuing Masters in Forensic science, Department of anthropology ( University of Delhi). She also has done 1-year “certificate course in forensic science” from the department of anthropology itself. She had done her bachelor’s in “Life Sciences” from “Kalindi college “, University of Delhi. She has done internships in various fields ,”Serology division” in CFSL ,CBI New Delhi, “Toxicology and Ballistics ” division in FSL, Rohini, Delhi. She also has done” Police training ” with Crime Branch Rithala, Delhi Police, and visited various crime scenes. She has also presented ABSTRACT in Forensic Science Conference, at the department of anthropology, Delhi University. Currently working on the dissertation Topic “Adulteration of alcohol”.