Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

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joeymac
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Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by joeymac »

If I'm curious about what else other than alcohol is actually in the product and at what steps in the process contamination is introduced so that there is a concrete starting point for investigation (if bad things are found).

I was thinking of having tested:
1) the tap water
2) the wash
3) pot stripping run product
4) column neutral product

Then I could see when and with what equipment anything may be getting introduced. Truthfully I'm most concerned about lead. But if full analysis isn't to difficult to obtain, I guess I'd also be interested in the composition of other compounds in the end product (anything out of the ordinary or unordinarily excessive) - but that's more curiosity rather than being paranoid about lead safety. The problem is, I'm not sure where to go to have testing performed, how costly this might be, and how much is required. Not to mention that mailing around water, wash, and then various stages of potable distillate might raise a red flag or two... it's just seems quite a bit more obvious than looking like a city-slicker in a back country feed store buying 50 pounds of molasses and oyster shell. :think:

So where might one look to have:
a) Lead testing done
b) Final composition analysis
(like seen here: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=12350 )
:?:

I've searched around HD and only found two or three threads dealing with actual product analysis, but no mention of how I can get an analysis.
Last edited by joeymac on Mon Feb 06, 2017 6:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks" - God (Isaiah 5:22)
So evidently, God wants us to drink our whiskeys single barrel and our Bourbons neat.
rad14701
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by rad14701 »

You can do your own basic lead testing if you think your still contains lead... Just get a lead test kit from most any paint store, or perhaps even your local cooperative extension office...

If you think there may be lead in your water then submit a sample to the county health department... It costs me $20 to get my water samples tested by the county...
joeymac
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by joeymac »

I thought the "water home test kits" are the kind you usually have to mail off to a lab. Which is is all fine to send them a sample of my water... but I don't think they'd appreciate a vial of hooch.

And I thought other kind of home test kit for instant results is for swabbing paint and toy surfaces. If I tested liquids at home with the instant kind of test, would it be sensitive enough to detect dangerous levels? In paint, soil, and toys they're looking for PPM levels of lead but isn't the EPA allowable lead in drinking water measured in something like parts per BILLION?
"Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks" - God (Isaiah 5:22)
So evidently, God wants us to drink our whiskeys single barrel and our Bourbons neat.
rad14701
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by rad14701 »

Call your county as they should be able to test your water... But let's back up a bit...

Why do you think there is lead in your water or in your distilled spirits...??? Do you have lead pipes...??? Are you on municipal water in an area that has been in the news recently...??? Did you use the wrong solder...??? Exactly what prompts the concerns...??? Were you worried before you stated this hobby...??? Or has paranoia suddenly crept in out of nowhere...???

You probably drink worse water in restaurants and get more contaminants if you drink a glass of hard cider that someone offers you... Your still is a purifier...!!! It can only concentrate what's already there, if it can carry over into the vapor path...
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by FullySilenced »

Article that may be of interest if your serious about finding out WTF is in your???

https://www.restek.com/pdfs/59462.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

However...

I think a real-world estimate would be ~ $100-$200/sample using either a University lab or local contract laboratory. If the sample needs GC-MSD or the use of an other detector type, then the cost would be higher. If no method is provided, then you would have to pay a lab an upfront cost to develop one for you (at a cost of $1,000 to $$$$$$ more).

happy stillin,

FS
joeymac
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by joeymac »

rad14701 wrote: Why do you think there is lead in your water or in your distilled spirits...??? Do you have lead pipes...??? Are you on municipal water in an area that has been in the news recently...??? Did you use the wrong solder...??? Exactly what prompts the concerns...??? Were you worried before you stated this hobby...??? Or has paranoia suddenly crept in out of nowhere...???
Just general paranoia. :shock:

The new rig uses Oatey safe-flo solder on the copper parts, Harris stay-brite-8 on the stainless parts, Parker stainless needle valves, and anything not solder/stainless/copper is Teflon. So I know the only real variables are going to be the wash (water & ingredients) and the glass marble packing (from Hobby lobby). I suppose I could just test those things on their own.

The sad part is that the place I used to work had FTIR, TGA and HPLC/GC analysis capability literally 25 feet from my desk. not anymore :egeek:
"Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks" - God (Isaiah 5:22)
So evidently, God wants us to drink our whiskeys single barrel and our Bourbons neat.
rad14701
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by rad14701 »

What doesn't kill you just allows you to get one day closer to your inevitable death... :twisted:

You can live your life as it comes or you can live your life like a deer in headlights, worrying yourself to death about what's going to kill you... :think:
FullySilenced
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by FullySilenced »

And I do suppose you know someone still working at your old place... i mean as a last resort... :wtf:

i mean that's what friends are for at times.... :lol:

happy stillin,

FS
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shadylane
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by shadylane »

Here's one lab that might :?: http://www.intertek.com/chemicals/testing-and-analysis/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Anyone else find a lab yet :lol:
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bluefish_dist
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by bluefish_dist »

http://Www.liquidproofspirits.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow. I have not used them, but I received a mailer from them that they offer spirit testing.
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by 700G »

I've used White Labs before:

http://www.whitelabs.com/other-products ... matography" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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700G
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by 700G »

bluefish_dist wrote:http://Www.liquidproofspirits.com. I have not used them, but I received a mailer from them that they offer spirit testing.
This one looks like it could really come in handy. They will do everything from a full analysis down to an individual analysis. You could really fine tune your stuff affordably!
stillin' when I shoulda been buyin'
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bilgriss
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Re: Labs for analyzing product for lead and other nasties?

Post by bilgriss »

What doesn't kill you just allows you to get one day closer to your inevitable death... :twisted:
That's the best case scenario.

Coincidentally, I happened to notice a home water test kit which tested for lead and other metals, hanging in the aisle near the pain section at Walmart yesterday evening.

If you are confident in your equipment, it's just ingredients and water you need to test.
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