Agustin,
Are you sure you don't mean re-distilling the alcohol.  Many laboratories in
the US are re-distilling the alcohol with small laboratory units.  Several
companies make them and I am sure if you ask on HistoNet one of them will
answer.  Pam Marcum

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Agustín Venzano [mailto:avenzano@cicv.inta.gov.ar]
> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2002 1:27 PM
> To: HistoNet Server
> Subject: Absolute ethanol
>
>
> Dear Histonetters: Did anyone of you hear on home manufacturing
> of absolute
> ethylic alcohol from 95 or 96 º pharmaceutical alcohol. Some years ago we
> had a Chilean trainee in our Research Center who told us that they usually
> recycled 96 º alcohol back to absolute alcohol in their lab. I think they
> did it by adding some hygroscopic salt to 96 º alcohol ?
>
> Thank you for your help
>
> Agustin Venzano
> INTA Castelar, Argentina

Mr. Marcum: I've already consulted some chemists on alcohol distillation,
but they told me that it is rather hard to convert 96º ethanol to absolute
with such method, due to the small difference between the boiling point of
water and ethanol. Which is your personal point of view on the topics?

Yours sincerely

Agustin Venzano
INTA Castelar, Argentina