THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



A. Chemical and Geological Sciences 

 and the Industries 



VOL. XII NOVEMBER, 1917 No. 6 



ALCOHOL FROM DISCARD MOLASSES IN THE PHILIPPINE 

 ISLANDS l 



By Harvey C. Brill and Leavitt W. Thurlow 

 (From the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Bureau of Science, Manila) 



The utilization of the discard molasses of the sugar mill is 

 yearly becoming of more importance. Several uses suggest 

 themselves. 



1. Molasses has value as a cattle food. Its application to this 

 use depends on local conditions of freight rates and whether it 

 is to be transported long distances or consumed near where it 

 is produced. At present very little is thus utilized in the Philip- 

 pine Islands, although this use may have possibilities, for in the 

 United States molasses for this purpose, inferior to the Philip- 

 pine products, sells at a greater price even though it is shipped 

 considerable distances. 



2. Attempts have been and are being made to use it for fuel. 

 In Honolulu it has been burned to recover the ash for fertilizer 

 purposes. All the phosphates and potash, except a small vola- 

 tilized portion, remain. Practically all the nitrogen is lost when 

 molasses is burned. It is difficult to handle as a fuel, because of 

 easily fusible constituents of the ash that form a glaze on the 

 walls of the furnace. However, since fuel is scarce in many 

 centrals, the use of extra grate bars, effort, and expense are 

 justifiable in the utilization of molasses as fuel. 



3. Its use as a binder in paving brick is still in the experi- 

 mental stage, and its usefulness for this purpose cannot be 

 predicted at this time. 



4. It has been used as a binder in the manufacture of bri- 

 quettes from coal dust. Only a portion of it could be utilized 



1 Received for publication May, 1917. 

 151034 267 



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