ASTM D 1218, Standard Test Method for Refractive Index and Refractive Dispersion of Hydrocarbon Liquids (1999), uses a manual refractometer to obtain data used to characterize pure hydrocarbons and their mixtures.

On Aug. 23, an ASTM task group revised D 1218 to include separate procedures for automatic as well as manual refractometers. A task group of European and North American instrument users and manufacturers wrote the revision under the guidelines of the Hydrocarbon Analysis Subcommittee in ASTM Committee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants.

“The rewritten D 1218 will include an expanded list of calibration reference standards and expand allowable temperature measurement and control devices,” said task group chairman, Rey G. Montemayor, Ph.D., who specializes in analytical chemistry relating to the quality assurance of petrochemical products. “The most current precision statements for both manual and automatic refractometers are included in the new version of the standard.

“The new version of the standard will allow users to be in strict compliance with the test method regardless of whether automatic or manual instruments are used,” said Montemayor, a senior chemist with Imperial Oil Ltd., Ontario, Canada. “This is particularly important during quality audits whereby compliance to specified test methods is closely examined.”

Direct inquiries to Rey G. Montemayor, Ph.D., Products and Chemicals Division, Imperial Oil Ltd., Sarina, Ontario, Canada. Committee D02 meets Dec. 2-7 in Miami Beach, Fla. For meeting or membership details, contact Dave Bradley, manager, ASTM Technical Committee Operations (phone: 610/832-9681). //

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