Ethanol Testing & Certification
We conduct all of the tests required for the ASTM D4806 specification for ethanol used for fuel blending. Our customers include ethanol producers, rail terminals and fuel terminals.
Ethanol is widely used for gasoline fuel blending in the US, Brazil, and Europe, and its use is expected to increase as a result of clean air regulations. Common gasoline-ethanol fuel blends include E10 (containing 10% ethanol) and E85 (containing 85% ethanol). Most motor vehicles today run using E10, and an increasing number of cars and light trucks are designed to be flexible-fuel vehicles, using ethanol-blend fuels up to E85.
The purity of ethanol going into fuel blending is critically important if the finished blend is going to meet specifications. The most common issues with blending ethanol are high water content and low pH (acidity). Other potential issues include non-volatile residue (gum), high methanol content and contamination with sulfates and chlorides.
The following is a list of the ethanol-related tests that we perform. For additional information about the test method, click on the method number.
- ASTM D381 - Gum Content
- ASTM D664 - Acid Number
- ASTM D2622 - Sulfur by XRF
- ASTM D4052 - Density & API Gravity
- ASTM D5185M - Metals in Fuel or Oil by ICP
- ASTM D5501 - Ethanol Content by GC
- ASTM D6423 - pH of Ethanol
- ASTM D7328 - Sulfate & Chlorides in Ethanol
- ASTM D7795 - Acidity in Ethanol
- ASTM E1064 - Water Content
- NACE TM-01-72 - NACE Analysis
To learn more about testing ethanol according to industry standards, click on the specification names below.
