MEASUREMENT OF METHYLCARBAMATE FORMED BY ADDITION OF DIMETHYL DICARBONATE TO MODEL SOLUTIONS AND TO WINES

A method for ethylcarbamate analysis was adapted for detecting methylcarbamate formed from dimethyl dicarbonate added to solutions and wines containing varied amounts of ammonia and at different pH values. Recovery from wine by this method is 51%, less than found for ethylcarbamate in the original study. The effects of pH and NH3 concentration on the amount of methylcarbamate formed are similar to those for ethylcarbamate. Under the most extreme conditions in normal commercial wine practices (pH .ltoreq. 3.75, NH3 .ltoreq. 20 mg/l) less than 10 .mu.g of methylcarbamate/l would be formed from the addition of dimethyl dicarbonate at 100 mg/l.