624 
Production  of  Glycerin  from  Molasses.  (Am.  jour.  Pharm; 
*      ■  J  l       sept.  1919. 
and  steamed,  and  the  filtrate  evaporated  in  a  vacuum  evaporator  to 
a  thick  syrup  which  contained  between  30  and  35  per  cent,  of 
glycerin.  It  was  then  distilled  in  a  still  resembling  that  of  Jobbin. 
About  50  lb.  of  dynamite  glycerin  was  thus  obtained,  or  roughly 
about  half  that  present  in  the  fermented  wash. 
The  following  is  an  analysis  of  a  sample  of  the  dynamite 
glycerin : 
Sp.  gr.  at  15.60  C,  1.2616;  carbonaceous  residue,  0.058  per 
cent. ;  ash,  0.009  Per  cent- 
The  carbonaceous  residue  is  high,  but  a  redistillation  of  the 
glycerin  gave  a  satisfactory  product.  The  glycerin  was  found  to 
nitrate  normally. 
It  is  noteworthy  that  it  has  been  found  that  the  second  treat- 
ment of  the  fermented  wash  with  copperas  and  lime  is  superfluous. 
Hitherto  it  has  not  been  found  possible  to  obtain  a  perfect  crude 
glycerin  from  molasses. 
Several  additional  experiments  Rave,  it  is  stated,  been  carried 
out  on  a  much  larger  scale — 2,000  gallons — with  the  same  results. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  in  an  earlier  part  of  this  report  it 
was  mentioned  that  from  20-25  Per  cent,  of  the  sugar  originally 
present  in  the  mash  is  converted  into  glycerin.  Taking  the  sugars 
actually  fermented  in  "  black  strap "  Porto  Rico  molasses  as  50 
per  cent,  of  the  molasses  (and  this  is  a  very  liberal  estimate,  for  it 
may  be  computed  from  the  figures  given  that  nearly  3  per  cent,  of 
the  sugar  in  the  molasses  is  left  unf ermented) ,  and  remembering 
that  only  half  the  glycerin  formed  is  recovered  as  crude  glycerin, 
the  yield  of  glycerin  could  not  be  expected  to  exceed  5^  to  6  lb. 
per  cwt.  of  the  molasses  dealt  with.  It  is  only  fair,  however,  to 
quote  the  following  remarks  of  the  signatories  of  the  report.  They 
say : 
"  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  there  is  considerable  alcohol  pro- 
duced in  these  fermentations.  At  the  present  price  of  alcohol  and 
raw  materials  it  is  safe  to  say  that  the  value  of  the  alcohol  balances 
the  cost  of  all  material  and  overhead  charges  entering  into  the  pro- 
duction of  the  fermented  mash.  This  being  true,  then  the  slop  from 
the  alcohol  distillation  which  contains  the  glycerin  is  had  free  of 
cost,  so  that  the  only  cost  to  be  considered  for  the  glycerin  would 
be  that  of  purification  and  distillation.  This  should  not  be  great. 
Xo  attempt  has  been  made  as  yet  to  recover  the  alcohol,  it  being 
deemed  a  matter  offering  no  difficulty." 
