Excerpt: ...the presence of glycerol, or glycerides, in any substance may usually be detected by mixing the material with anhydrous acid potassium sulfate and heating the mixture in a test tube, when the characteristic odor of acrolein will appear. Glycerol possesses all the characteristic properties of an alcohol, forming alcoholates with alkalies, esters with acids, etc. It is an active reducing agent, being itself easily oxidized to a variety of different products depending upon the strength of the oxidizing agent used ...
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Excerpt: ...the presence of glycerol, or glycerides, in any substance may usually be detected by mixing the material with anhydrous acid potassium sulfate and heating the mixture in a test tube, when the characteristic odor of acrolein will appear. Glycerol possesses all the characteristic properties of an alcohol, forming alcoholates with alkalies, esters with acids, etc. It is an active reducing agent, being itself easily oxidized to a variety of different products depending upon the strength of the oxidizing agent used and the conditions of the experiment. Microorganisms affect it in a variety of ways, either converting it into simple fatty acids, or condensing it into longer-chain compounds. Open-chain monohydric alcohols, higher members of the ethyl alcohol series, such as cetyl, C16H33OH, carnaubyl, C24H49OH, ceryl, C26H53OH, and melissyl, C30H61OH, are found in the esters which constitute the major proportion of the common waxes. Cholesterol and phytosterol are empirical names for certain closed-ring, monohydric alcohols which are found in relatively small amounts in all fats, the former term designating those found in animal fats and the latter those of plant origin. Their composition has not yet been definitely established. They are known to contain two, or three, closed rings, probably of the phenanthrene type; to form dichlor- and dibrom- addition products, showing that they contain one side-chain double linkage; and to yield ketones when oxidized, indicating that they are secondary Pg 136 alcohols. They form acetyl esters, or acetates, which can be separated from each other and identified by their crystal forms and melting points. Because of this fact and of the further fact that they are present in detectable quantities in practically all fats and oils, they afford a qualitative means of distinguishing between fats of animal and of plant origin. This possibility is the most interesting fact known concerning these complex alcohols; although their...
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