title: Formation of siliceous sediments in brandy after diatomite filtration.
abstract: Brandy is quite a stable spirit but sometimes light sediment appears. This sediment was separated and analysed by IR and SEM-EDX. It was revealed that the sediment is composed mostly of silica and residual organic matter. Silica was present as an amorphous phase and as microparticles. In an attempt to reproduce the formation of the sediment, a diatomite extract was prepared with an ethanol/water mixture (36% vol.) and a calcined diatomite similar to that used in brandy filtration. This extract was added to unfiltered brandy in different amounts. After 1 month, the Si concentration decreased in all samples and sediments with similar compositions and features to those found in the unstable brandy appeared. The amounts of sediment obtained were directly related to the decrease in Si concentration in solution. Consequently, it can be concluded that siliceous sediment in brandy originates from Si released during diatomite filtration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Cadiz, Campus Río San Pedro, PB 40, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain. Electronic address: juangomez.benitez@uca.es.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Cadiz, Campus Río San Pedro, PB 40, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain.
authors.forename: M L A
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics of Condensed Matter, Faculty of Sciences, University of Cadiz, Campus Río San Pedro, PB 40, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de la Rosa-Fox
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, University of Pablo de Olavide Building 22, 3rd floor, Road to Utrera, km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alguacil
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D007692:Diatomaceous Earth / Q000737:chemistry*; D005374:Filtration; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D007692:Diatomaceous Earth; C033787:diatomite; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
keywords: Brandy; Diatomite; Filtration; Sediment; Silica