title: Chemical composition of vintage preban absinthe with special reference to thujone, fenchone, pinocamphone, methanol, copper, and antimony concentrations.
abstract: Thirteen samples of authentic absinthe dating from the preban era (i.e., prior to 1915) were analyzed for parameters that were hypothesized as contributing to the toxicity of the spirit, including naturally occurring herbal essences (thujone, pinocamphone, fenchone), methanol, higher alcohols, copper, and antimony. The total thujone content of preban absinthe was found to range between 0.5 and 48.3 mg/L, with an average concentration of 25.4 +/- 20.3 mg/L and a median concentration of 33.3 mg/L. The authors conclude that the thujone concentration of preban absinthe was generally overestimated in the past. The analysis of postban (1915-1988) and modern commercial absinthes (2003-2006) showed that the encompassed thujone ranges of all absinthes are quite similar, disproving the supposition that a fundamental difference exists between preban and modern absinthes manufactured according to historical recipes. Analyses of pinocamphone, fenchone, base spirits, copper, and antimony were inconspicuous. All things considered, nothing besides ethanol was found in the absinthes that was able to explain the syndrome "absinthism".
authors.affiliation: Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt (CVUA) Karlsruhe, Weissenburger Strasse 3, D-76187 Karlsruhe, Germany. Lachenmeier@web.de
authors.forename: Dirk W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Lachenmeier
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nathan-Maister
authors.forename: Theodore A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Breaux
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sohnius
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schoeberl
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuballa
mesh_terms: D018646:Absinthe / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D000438:Alcohols / Q000032:analysis; D000965:Antimony / Q000032:analysis*; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001892:Camphanes / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007881:Legislation, Food; D000432:Methanol / Q000032:analysis*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis*; D009636:Norbornanes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001892:Camphanes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009636:Norbornanes; C027327:fenchone; D003300:Copper; C021317:pinocamphone; C005790:beta-thujone; D000965:Antimony; D000432:Methanol