Solvent Yellow 124
Encyclopedia
Solvent Yellow 124 is a yellow azo dye used in European Union
as a fuel dye. It is a marker
used since August 2002 to distinguish diesel fuel intended for heating from a higher-taxed
motor diesel fuel. It is added to fuels not intended for motor vehicles in amounts of 6 mg/L or 7 mg/kg under the name Euromarker.
dye, it changes color to red in acidic pH. It can be easily detected in the fuel at levels as low as 0.3 ppm by extraction
to a diluted hydrochloric acid
, allowing detection of the red diesel added into motor diesel in amounts as low as 2-3%.
Solvent Yellow 124 is intended to be difficult to remove from the fuel in an economical way. The Customs, familiar with various tricks including dual fuel systems with hidden fuel tanks, will take samples from the fuel lines to the engine itself if such equipment is suspected in the car.
As the amount of Solvent Yellow 124 added to the fuel is known, by measuring its content in the fuel it is possible to calculate how much of the low-taxed fuel was added to the legal one.
Euromarker is intended to be replaced later by newer technology markers, such as biological markers or fuel markers with non destructive analytical methods. These are all special chemicals tailored for the individual products, and perhaps even for individual refineries, allowing the identification of the source of the material by its content of the molecular markers.
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
as a fuel dye. It is a marker
Marker
Marker may refer to:* Marker , a morpheme that indicates some grammatical function* Marker , a special-purpose computer* A set of sewing patterns tightly arranged within a rectangle that is placed over cloth to be cut...
used since August 2002 to distinguish diesel fuel intended for heating from a higher-taxed
Fuel tax
A fuel tax is an excise tax imposed on the sale of fuel. In most countries the fuel tax is imposed on fuels which are intended for transportation...
motor diesel fuel. It is added to fuels not intended for motor vehicles in amounts of 6 mg/L or 7 mg/kg under the name Euromarker.
Euromarker
Solvent Yellow 124 is a dye with structure similar to Solvent Yellow 56. This dye can be easily hydrolyzed with acids, splitting off the acetal group responsible for its solubility in nonpolar solvents, and yielding a water-soluble form which is easy to extract to water. Like a similar methyl orangeMethyl orange
Methyl orange is a pH indicator frequently used in titrations.It is often used in titrations because of its clear and distinct colour change. Because it changes colour at the pH of a mid-strength acid, it is usually used in titrations for acids...
dye, it changes color to red in acidic pH. It can be easily detected in the fuel at levels as low as 0.3 ppm by extraction
Liquid-liquid extraction
Liquid–liquid extraction, also known as solvent extraction and partitioning, is a method to separate compounds based on their relative solubilities in two different immiscible liquids, usually water and an organic solvent. It is an extraction of a substance from one liquid phase into another liquid...
to a diluted hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride in water, that is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. It is found naturally in gastric acid....
, allowing detection of the red diesel added into motor diesel in amounts as low as 2-3%.
Solvent Yellow 124 is intended to be difficult to remove from the fuel in an economical way. The Customs, familiar with various tricks including dual fuel systems with hidden fuel tanks, will take samples from the fuel lines to the engine itself if such equipment is suspected in the car.
As the amount of Solvent Yellow 124 added to the fuel is known, by measuring its content in the fuel it is possible to calculate how much of the low-taxed fuel was added to the legal one.
Concerns
The UK government expressed concerns about the possibility of "laundering" the dye out of "illicit" fuel, hampering the detection. Denmark expressed concerns about the dye's toxicity.Euromarker is intended to be replaced later by newer technology markers, such as biological markers or fuel markers with non destructive analytical methods. These are all special chemicals tailored for the individual products, and perhaps even for individual refineries, allowing the identification of the source of the material by its content of the molecular markers.