Test for baptized gasoline

By ETCO
19/10/2021

Source: Jornal da Tarde - SP - 22/07/2009

The most common adulteration of gasoline today is done with the addition of alcohol. The test for realizing this fraud is quite simple:

1) with a graduated cylinder measuring 100 milliliters, add 50 ml of gasoline and 50 ml of sodium chloride solution;

2) cover the container and make inversions until the mixture is very uniform;

3) wait 15 minutes.

If the gasoline is in accordance with what is established by the ANP, the colorless liquid will remain at the bottom (salt water plus anhydrous alcohol) and must be in the 60 ml line.


If you go over it (next to it, the colorless liquid is in 65 ml) it is because you were baptized. In time, the sodium chloride solution is obtained by adding 10 grams of salt to 100 ml of water.

Every service station is obliged to carry out this test whenever the consumer requests it and needs to be equipped with such test tubes, sodium chloride solution, densimeter for petroleum products and other equipment capable of pointing out fuel fraud. The percentage of anhydrous alcohol present in gasoline can range between 20% and 25%, no more than that.

Against fraud in the fuel sector – The main brands of Instituto Combustível Legal, an ETCO member, to improve the business environment in the distribution and resale segment