Designation: D 4940 – 98

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS

100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM

Standard Test Method for

Conductimetric Analysis of Water Soluble Ionic
Contamination of Blasting Abrasives1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4940; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope The conductivity, which is related to the concentration of

1.1 This test method describes a procedure for rapid evalu- soluble ionic materials contaminating the abrasive surface, is
ation of abrasives for the presence of ionic contamination by calculated from the conductance and the cell constant.
determining the total concentration of water soluble ionic 4. Significance and Use
contaminants by means of a conductivity test.
1.2 This test method does not identify the ionic species 4.1 By-product abrasives manufactured from slags that are
present nor provide quantitative results on each species. air cooled or quenched with pure water, normally contain low
1.3 This test method is based on a volume comparison concentrations of ionic materials as do mined mineral abra-
among abrasives of similar sizes. A volume comparison is sives. However, slags quenched with seawater or other con-
more closely related to surface area of the abrasives than is a taminated water, contain high amounts of ionic material as
weight comparison. does seashore sand. This contamination of the abrasive can
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the transfer to the steel surfaces being blasted, where it may
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the accelerate corrosion. This test is useful in establishing the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- cleanliness of the abrasive at the jobsite.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 4.2 This test method provides a value that indicates the
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. concentration of total water soluble ions in accordance with
their electrolytic mobility. Thus, it provides an indication of
2. Referenced Documents ionic corrosion potential.
2.1 ASTM Standards: NOTE 1—A typical value of conductivity for a high level of contami-
D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water2 nation is 500 µmho/cm. A typical value for a low level of contamination
E 832 Specification for Laboratory Filter Papers3 is 50µ mho/cm.
2.2 Other Standard:
5. Apparatus
ISO 11127-6 Preparation of Steel Substrates before Appli-
cation of Paints and Related Products - Test Methods for 5.1 Conductivity Bridge and Cell—Any commercial con-
Non-Metalic Blast Cleaning Abrasives - Part 6: Determi- ductivity bridge and conductivity cell having a range of at least
nation of Water-Soluble Contaminants by Conductivity 5µ mho/cm to 1 000 000 µmho/cm and temperature compen-
Measurement4 sation capability is satisfactory. Either a dip-type, pipet-type, or
2.3 Steel Structures Painting Council Standard: cup-type cell may be used. A means of adjusting for tempera-
SSPC-AB 1 “Specification for Mineral and Slag Abrasives5 ture or controlling the temperature is essential. While some
instruments have an adjustment to compensate for temperature,
3. Summary of Test Method one means is to use a 25°C constant temperature bath. Another
3.1 Abrasive and pure water are combined into a slurry that method is to stir the solution with a clean thermometer while
is stirred to leach the soluble salts from the abrasive. This the vessel is warmed or cooled by an external source.
slurry is filtered and conductance of the filtrate is measured. NOTE 2—ISO 11127-6 is another method for assessing the level of
soluble salt contamination present in an abrasive. It differs from this test
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-1 on Paint
method in two major areas:
and Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications and is the direct responsibility of (1) The ISO method uses a weight to volume ratio between the abrasive
Subcommittee D01.46 on Industrial Protective Coatings. and the fluid (deionized water) used to extract soluble salts from the
Current edition approved May 10, 1998. Published September 1998. Originally abrasive. The ASTM method allows a user to measure a loose packed
published as D 4940 – 89. Last previous edition D 4940 – 89 (1994). volume of abrasive and mix that abrasive with an equal volume of reagent
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01. water. The ISO method is well suited to use in a laboratory setting but is
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02. poorly suited to use in the field. The ASTM method is well suited for use
4
Available from American National Standards Institute, 13th Floor, 11 W. 42nd in the field or laboratory.
St., New York, NY 10036.
5 (2) The ISO method reports the effect of the level of extracted salts in
Available from Steel Structures Painting Council, 40 24th Street, Pittsburgh, PA
15222.
terms of milliSiemens/m, whereas this test method uses µmho/cm. The

1
 D 4940
ISO method uses strict SI units, this test method reports using SI 8. Calibration and Standardization
compliant units.
Method to Method Comparison:
8.1 Determination of Cell Constant:
The reader is warned that it is difficult to make direct comparisons 8.1.1 The conductivity cell will come with a predetermined
between the results of these two different methods of analysis. constant. This constant should be checked periodically, one
Weight/Volume versus Volume/Volume Method Considerations: method being as follows:
In the ASTM Method the weight of the abrasive is not known; this 8.1.1.1 Prepare a standard solution such as a 0.0005 N
makes it impossible to assess the ratio between conductivity values solution of KCl by diluting a 0.02 N KCl solution with water
determined using this test method procedure and those determined using
or by dissolving 0.0372 g of KCl (heated before weighing for
the ISO 11127-6 procedure.
Comparisons Between Reported Units for Each Method: 1 h at 105°C) in water, followed by dilution to 1 L. Cool and
An independent study by SSPC showed that the relative order of measure the conductance at 25°C as described in Section 9.
extracted salts using each type of procedure on abrasive materials was Calculate the cell constant, K25, as follows:
identical. The ranked order correlation between the two methods was K25 5 ~Cs/Cm!
unity. There was no direct correlation possible between numerical results (1)
obtained and reported by the two different methods. Abrasives that
showed qualifying extracted salts using the ISO Procedure also showed where:
qualifying extracted salt levels as specified in SSPC-AB 1. Cm 5 conductance, measured at 25°C (see 10.1), µmho,
Converting from ISO Reported Units to ASTM Reported Units:
Converting from one unit base to another is not useful as the two
and
methods differ in process. The conversion factor from µmho/cm to Cs 5 conductivity, 72 µmho/cm (from Table 1).
milliSiemens/m is as follows: NOTE 3—In general the cell constant is not greatly affected by
A Micro Mho Per Centimetre variations in the strength of the KCl solution, but, for greater accuracy,
1µmhocm–1 (1 3 10–6) V–1 cm–1 measurements should be made at or near the specific conductivity of the
A MilliSiemen Per Metre solution to be measured and at values that utilize the middle range of the
1 (MilliSiemen)(m–1) 5 (1310–3) V–1 100 cm–1 scale of the conductivity bridge, using the same multiplier tap.
Thus one milliSiemen/m 5 ten µmho/cm.
8.1.2 Table 1 gives values of specific conductivities for
5.2 Filter Paper, conforming to Specification E 832, Type corresponding KCl solution concentrations which are useful
1, Class C, to keep silt from fouling the surfaces of the for abrasive testing.
conductivity cell.
9. Procedure
6. Reagents and Materials
9.1 Preparation of a Slurry Filtrate:
6.1 Purity of Reagents—Reagent grade chemicals shall be 9.1.1 Rinse beakers, stirring rods, and funnels with reagent
used in all tests. Unless otherwise indicated, it is intended that water until tests show the rinse water has a conductivity of 5.0
all reagents conform to the specifications of the Committee on µmho/cm or less.
Analytical Reagents of the American Chemical Society where 9.1.2 Add 300 mL of water to 300 mL of abrasive and stir
such specifications are available.6 Other grades may be used, for 1 min with a stirring rod. Let stand for 8 min and then stir
provided it is first ascertained that the reagent is of sufficiently again for 1 min.
high purity to permit its use without lessening the accuracy of 9.1.3 Filter sufficient supernatant liquid for tests, discarding
the determination. the first 10 mL of the filtrate. The amount of supernatant liquid
6.2 Purity of Water—Unless otherwise indicated, references filtered shall be sufficient to cover the cell.
to water shall be understood to mean reagent water as defined 9.1.4 Rinse the conductivity cell in reagent water until the
by Type IV of Specification D 1193. rinse water is a cleanliness of 5.0 µmho/cm or less.
6.3 Potassium Chloride (KCl or 0.02 N KCl solution). 9.1.5 Rinse the conductivity cell two or three times with the
filtrate then determine conductance at 25°C in accordance with
7. Sampling
the operating instructions of the instrument. Use successive
7.1 Sampling shall be as follows unless otherwise agreed portions of the sample until a constant value is obtained.
upon between the purchaser and the seller. Take two 1-L
samples of abrasive at random from different packages of each 10. Calculation
lot, batch, day’s pack, or other unit of production in the 10.1 Calculate the specific conductivity of the abrasive as
shipment. When no markings distinguishing between units of follows:
production appear, take samples from the different packages in
Cs 5 C m 3 K25
the ratio of two samples for each 5000 kg, except that for (2)
shipments of less than 5000 kg, take two samples. Test the
samples separately.
TABLE 1 Specific Conductivities for Potassium Chloride (KCl)
Concentrations at 25°C
Heated, Dry KCl/Reagent KCl Conductivity,
6
Reagent Chemicals, American Chemical Society Specifications, American Normality
Water Solution, g/L µmho/cm
Chemical Society, Washington, DC. For suggestions on the testing of reagents not
listed by the American Chemical Society, see Analar Standards for Laboratory 0.0005 0.0373 72
Chemicals, BDH Ltd., Poole, Dorset, U.K., and the United States Pharmacopeia 0.001 0.0746 147
and National Formulary, U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc. (USPC), Rockville, 0.005 0.3728 718
0.01 0.7455 1414
MD.

2
 D 4940
11. Report 12.1.1 Repeatability—Two results, each the mean of two
11.1 Report the following information: runs obtained by the same operator should be considered
11.1.1 The calibration value of the cell constant (both as suspect if they differ by more than 5 % relative.
measured and as predetermined and supplied with the 12.1.2 Reproducibility—Two results, each the mean of two
conductivity cell), the date, and the name of the person runs, obtained by operators in different laboratories should be
checking the calibration. considered suspect if they differ by more than 22 % relative.
11.1.2 The material, date, readings, and mean in µmho/cm 12.2 Bias:
along with name of person conducting the tests and 12.2.1 Bias can be present because of the mobility of
identification of the apparatus. various ions. The hydrogen ion has a much greater mobility
than the hydroxyl ion or other ions so that at low pH’s the
12. Precision and Bias 7
conductivity will be relatively higher than at high pH’s for the
12.1 Precision—On the basis of five replicate same ionic concentration. However, the bias introduced by this
interlaboratory tests of this test method in which three factor is in the proper direction. That is, high conductivity due
operators in three laboratories analyzed, in duplicate, six to a lower pH of the contamination would normally indicate
blasting abrasives containing ionogenic contamination, the greater corrosion potential.
within-laboratory coefficient of variation after rejecting results
12.2.2 A bias may be introduced by extraneous
from one set of replicate tests as outliers, was found to be
contamination or from reduced sensitivity of instruments for
1.7 % with 20 degrees of freedom (df) and the between-
low levels of contamination in the range of conductivity
laboratory standard deviation coefficient of variation was found
between 0 and 30 µmho/cm.
to be 7.4 % with 15 df. Based on these coefficients, the
following criteria should be used for judging the acceptability
13. Keywords
of results at the 95 % confidence level:
13.1 ionogenic; contamination; steel surfaces; abrasive;
blasting; conductimetric; analysis; interlaboratory testing;
7
Supporting data available from ASTM Headquarters. Request RR: D01-1061. precision; chloride; conductivity; salts.

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