This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles

for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

Designation: D8005 − 18

Standard Test Method for

Color of Clear Liquids (Platinum-Cobalt Scale)1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D8005; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope* 2. Referenced Documents

1.1 This test method covers a procedure for the visual 2.1 ASTM Standards:2
measurement of the color of near clear liquids. It is applicable D1193 Specification for Reagent Water
only to materials in which the color-producing bodies present D1209 Test Method for Color of Clear Liquids (Platinum-
have light absorption characteristics nearly identical with those Cobalt Scale)
of the Platinum-Cobalt (Pt-Co) color standards used. D1686 Test Method for Color of Solid Aromatic Hydrocar-
1.2 This test method has been found applicable to the color bons and Related Materials in the Molten State (Platinum-
measurement of clear, liquid samples, free of haze, with Cobalt Scale)
nominal Pt-Co color values between 0 and 100. It is applicable D3437 Practice for Sampling and Handling Liquid Cyclic
to nonfluorescent liquids with light absorption characteristics Products
similar to those of the Pt-Co color standard solutions. Test D5386 Test Method for Color of Liquids Using Tristimulus
Methods D1209, D1686, and D5386 deal with the visual and Colorimetry
instrumental measurement of near-clear liquids. D6809 Guide for Quality Control and Quality Assurance
Procedures for Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Related Ma-
1.3 In determining the conformance of the test results using terials
this method to applicable specifications, results shall be E29 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to
rounded in accordance with the rounding off methods of Determine Conformance with Specifications
Practice E29. E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as Determine the Precision of a Test Method
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this 2.2 Other Documents:
standard. OSHA Regulations, 29 CFR paragraphs 1910.1000 and
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the 1910.12003
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 3. Summary of Test Method
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter- 3.1 A specimen is placed in a Nessler tube and compared to
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. a series of prepared Pt-Co standards.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor- 4. Significance and Use
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the 4.1 The major objective of the visual Pt-Co method of color
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom- measurement is to rate specific materials for yellowness. The
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical yellowness is frequently the result of the undesirable tendency
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee. of liquid hydrocarbons to absorb blue light due to contamina-
tion in processing, storage, or shipping.

1 2
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D16 on For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Aromatic, Industrial, Specialty and Related Chemicals and is the direct responsi- contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
bility of Subcommittee D16.01 on Benzene, Toluene, Xylenes, Cyclohexane and Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Their Derivatives. the ASTM website.
3
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2018. Published March 2018. Originally Available from U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents,
approved in 2015. Last previous edition approved in 2015 as D8005 – 15. DOI: 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Mail Stop: SDE, Washington, DC 20401, http://
10.1520/D8005-18. www.access.gpo.gov.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

1
 D8005 − 18
TABLE 1 Absorbance Tolerance Limits for No. 500 Platinum- directed with equal intensity through the tubes, and should be
Cobalt Stock Solution shielded so that no light enters the tubes from the side.5
Wavelength, nm Absorbance
430 0.100 to 0.120 6. Reagents
455 0.130 to 0.145
480 0.105 to 0.120 6.1 Purity of Reagents—Reagent grade chemicals shall be
510 0.055 to 0.065
used in all tests. Unless otherwise indicated, it is intended that
all reagents shall conform to the specifications of the Commit-
TABLE 2 Platinum-Cobalt Color Standards for Very Light Colors tee on Analytical Reagents of the American Chemical Society,
where such specifications are available.6 Other grades may be
Color Standard Stock Solution, Color Standard Stock Solution,
Number mL Number mL used, provided it is first ascertained that the agent is of
1 0.20 11 2.20 sufficiently high purity to permit its use without lessening the
2 0.40 12 2.40 accuracy of the determination.
3 0.60 13 2.60
4 0.80 14 2.80 6.2 Purity of Water—References to water shall be under-
5 1.00 15 3.00
6 1.20 16 3.20
stood to mean reagent water conforming to Type IV of
7 1.40 17 3.40 Specification D1193.
8 1.60 18 3.60
9 1.80 19 3.80 6.3 Cobalt Chloride (CoCl2·6H2O).
10 2.00 20 4.00
6.4 Hydrochloric Acid (sp gr 1.19)—Concentrated hydro-
chloric acid (HCI).
TABLE 3 Platinum-Cobalt Color Standards 6.5 Potassium Chloroplatinate (K2PtCl6).
Color Standard Stock Solution, Color Standard Stock Solution,
Number mL Number mL 6.6 Pt-Co Stock Solution—Dissolve 1.245 g of potassium
25 5 65 13 chloroplatinate (K2PtCl6) and 1.00 g of cobalt chloride
30 6 70 14 (CoCl2·6H2O) in water. Carefully add 100 mL of hydrochloric
35 7 75 15
40 8 80 16
acid (HCl, sp gr. 1.19) and dilute to 1 L with water. The
45 9 85 17 absorbance of the 500 Pt-Co stock solution in a cell having a
50 10 90 18 10-mm light path, with reagent water in a matched cell as the
55 11 95 19
60 12 100 20
reference solution,7 must fall within the limits given in Table 1.
NOTE 1—This stock solution is commercially available from reputable
chemical suppliers.
6.7 Pt-Co Standards—From the stock solution, prepare
color standards in accordance with Table 2 by diluting the
5. Apparatus required volumes to 100 mL with water in the Nessler tubes.
Cap the tubes and seal the caps with shellac or a waterproof
5.1 Spectrophotometer, equipped for liquid samples and for
cement. When properly sealed and stored, these standards are
measurements in the visible region.
stable for at least one year and do not degrade markedly for two
5.1.1 The spectrophotometer used must be clean and in years.8 (Table 3)
first-class operating condition. The instrument should be cali-
brated in accordance with the instructions in the Standards for 7. Hazards
Checking and Calibration of Spectrophotometers (200 to 1000
cm).4 7.1 Consult current OSHA regulations, supplier’s Safety
Data Sheets, and local regulations for all materials used in this
5.2 Spectrophotometer Cells, matched having a 10-mm light test method.
path.
5.3 Color Comparison Tubes—Matched 100-mL, tall-form
Nessler tubes, provided with ground-on, optically clear, glass 5
The sole source of supply of the apparatus known to the committee at this time
caps. Tubes should be selected so that the height of the 100-mL is Scientific Glass and Instruments, Inc., P.O. Box 6, Houston, TX 77001. If you are
graduation mark is 275 to 295 mm above the bottom of the aware of alternative suppliers, please provide this information to ASTM Interna-
tional Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting
tube. of the responsible technical committee,1 which you may attend.
6
Reagent Chemicals, American Chemical Society Specifications, American
5.4 Color Comparator—A color comparator constructed to Chemical Society, Washington, DC. For suggestions on the testing of reagents not
permit visual comparison of light transmitted through tall-form listed by the American Chemical Society, see Analar Standards for Laboratory
100-mL Nessler tubes in the direction of their longitudinal Chemicals, BDH Ltd., Poole, Dorset, U.K., and the United States Pharmacopeia
axes. The comparator should be constructed so that white light and National Formulary, U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc. (USPC), Rockville,
MD.
is passed through or reflected off a white glass plate and 7
See the manufacturer’s instruction manual for complete details for operating the
spectrophotometer.
8
Scharf, W. W., Ferber, K. H., and White, R. G., “Stability of Platinum- Cobalt
Color Standards,” Materials Research and Standards, Vol 6, No. 6, June 1966, pp.
4
See NIST Circular LC-1017. 302-304.

2
 D8005 − 18
8. Sampling and Handling 11. Precision9
8.1 Refer to Practice D3437 for proper sampling and han- 11.1 An ILS was conducted which included three laborato-
dling of liquid hydrocarbons analyzed by this test method. ries analyzing three samples two times for samples between 3
and 20 Pt-Co color. Two laboratories analyzed five samples
9. Procedure two times for samples between 30 and 60 Pt-Co color. Practice
E691 was followed for the design and analysis of the data; the
9.1 Introduce 100 mL of specimen into a Nessler tube, details are given is ASTM Research Report RR:D16-1063. The
passing the specimen through a filter if it has any visible ILS did not meet the minimum requirements of Practice E691
turbidity. Cap the tube, place in the comparator, and compare of six laboratories, four materials and duplicate analyses of
with the standards. each material.
9.1.1 For samples between 1 and 20, use standards that are 11.2 Repeatability (r)—Results should not be suspect unless
1 Pt-Co color unit apart. they differ by more than shown in Table 4. Results differing by
9.1.2 For samples between 20 and 100, use standards that less than r have a 95 % probability of being correct.
are 5 Pt-Co color units apart. 11.3 Reproducibility (R)—Results submitted by two labs
should not be considered suspect unless they differ by more
10. Report than shown in Table 4. Results differing by less than R have a
95 % probability of being correct.
10.1 Report as the Pt-Co color the number of the standard
that most nearly matches the specimen. In the event that the 11.4 Bias—This test procedure has no bias because the
color lies midway between two standards, report the darker of value of the test result is defined only in terms of the test
the two. method.
10.1.1 For samples with a Pt-Co color between 1 and 20, 12. Quality Guidelines
when the color lies midway between two standards, report the 12.1 Laboratories shall have a quality control system in
darker of the two. place.
10.1.2 For samples with a Pt-Co color between 20 and 100, 12.1.1 Confirm the performance of the test instrument or
when the color lies midway between the two standards, test method by analyzing a quality control sample following
estimate the value. the guidelines of standard statistical quality control practices.
12.1.2 A quality control sample is a stable material isolated
10.2 If, owing to differences in hue between the specimen from the production process and representative of the sample
and the standards, a definite match cannot be obtained, report being analyzed.
the range over which an apparent match is obtained, and report 12.1.3 When QA/QC protocols are already established in
the material as “off-hue.” the testing facility, these protocols are acceptable when they
confirm the validity of test results.
12.1.4 When there are no QA/QC protocols established in
the testing facility, use the guidelines described in Guide
TABLE 4 Repeatability and Reproducibility Results D6809 or similar statistical quality control practices.
Repeatability Reproducibilty
Average Pt-Co Color 13. Keywords
r R
3 3 5 13.1 clear liquids; color; platinum-cobalt color scale; Pt-Co
10 4 8
21 6 6
9
30 4 4 Supporting data have been filed at ASTM International Headquarters and may
60 7 11 be obtained by requesting Research Report RR:D16-1063. Contact ASTM Customer
Service at service@astm.org.

3
 D8005 − 18
SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee D16 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (D8005-15)
that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved February 1, 2018.)

(1) Precision statement was revised for ILS.

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