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A comment on FDA Updates on Hand Sanitizers with Methanol.

Re:FDA Updates on Hand Sanitizers with Methanol by elliekelly on Friday July 24, 2020 @07:43PM (#23945604)
Could you use the moonshine test on hand sanitizer? If it burns blue then you know it’s ethanol and if it burns yellow it’s methanol? I’m not familiar with the other ingredients in hand sanitizer so I don’t know if this would work (so don’t try it at home!) I’m only asking out of curiosity.
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Re:FDA Updates on Hand Sanitizers with Methanol by kurthr on Friday July 24, 2020 @08:14PM (#23945780)
That's an interesting idea... but think that's reversed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/chemicalreactiongifs/comments/5cw7z...

You're more likely to detect metallic or other organic contaminants which are likely (moisturizers etc) in sanitizers of both sorts. Even the effect shown above only shows up in an oxygen restricted environment (like the bucket above) due to the extra O2 the ethanol carbon needs to burn clean. You won't see that if you put it in a spoon where there's plenty of air. Any other carbon/sodium compounds are likely to show up and orange/red.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jfXjG9q19Y

Even dangerous metals like Lead (Pb) are hard to detect with simple flame test and a very pure flame.

https://images.app.goo.gl/k8rSHZ4QtGR57Ca47

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Re:FDA Updates on Hand Sanitizers with Methanol by gothroach on Friday July 24, 2020 @07:55PM (#23945671)
Most hand sanitizers seem to include glycerin, which will burn with a yellow flame as I remember. It's worth looking more into this type of testing though, I don't know if the concentrations of glycerin would be enough to effect the flame color.
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Re:FDA Updates on Hand Sanitizers with Methanol by kebman on Friday July 24, 2020 @08:20PM (#23945825)
Tech Ingredients has made a couple of videos on stuff like that, so you might find your answer by looking at his vids:

[1]: Masks, Gloves and Making Disinfectants! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLWBG_fbJR0

[2]: Obtaining Alcohol and Treating Masks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ1PNXa_LaI

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Re:FDA Updates on Hand Sanitizers with Methanol by refurb on Friday July 24, 2020 @08:12PM (#23945772)
Every time I've seen methanol burn it's blue and the flames are almost invisible in daylight.
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