Abstract: The invention relates to methods and kits for determining the total organic acid content in a coolant sample. The disclosed methods and kits may include, in part, steps such as contacting an organic acid in a coolant with an inorganic acid to protonate the organic acid, solvating the protonated organic acid, contacting the protonated organic acid with a reactant species, and detecting consumption of the reactant species to determine the organic acid content in the coolant.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and kits for determining the total organic acid content in a coolant sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and kits for determining the total organic acid content in a coolant sample.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed providing techniques for measuring the amount of biodiesel in a fuel sample. The methods may be used in the field without the use of laboratory equipment. The biodiesel in the sample is converted to the corresponding free acid which can be isolated and quantified to provide information regarding the amount of biodiesel in the original sample.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed providing techniques for measuring the amount of biodiesel in a fuel sample. The methods may be used in the field without the use of laboratory equipment. The biodiesel in the sample is converted to the corresponding free acid which can be isolated and quantified to provide information regarding the amount of biodiesel in the original sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and kits for determining the total organic acid content in a coolant sample.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining moisture content in plants and portions of plants is provided. In one aspect, moisture can be determined by extracting water from a portion of a plant and reacting the resulting extract with an indicator to show qualitatively or quantitatively the presence of water in the plant material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining water content in materials. A method and apparatus are provided whereby water contained in a sample of uncured cement is extracted into a solvent. Some of the solvent may then be reacted in a vessel and an indicator, such as a gas may be produced in a quantity that is proportionate to the concentration of water contained in the cement composition. By measuring the amount of indicator produced, the amount of water in the original sample can be determined.

Abstract: The presence of hydrocarbons in water is detected by contacting a water sample with an adsorbent material to extract hydrocarbons from the water sample and then contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent for the hydrocarbons. A developer such as a miscible nonsolvent liquid is mixed into the solvent to produce a test mixture. The turbidity of the test mixture is observed to determine the presence of hydrocarbons in the water sample. The nonsolvent may contain at least 0.5% salt, e.g., at least 1%, preferably 5% salt, and an emulsifier. Turbidity may be measured quantitatively by measuring light scattered at 90.degree. to a test light beam or by visual comparison to a reference scale.

Abstract: The presence of hydrocarbons in soil is detected by immersing a soil sample in a water-miscible solvent capable of dissolving the hydrocarbons to extract hydrocarbons from the soil into the solvent. An aqueous developer is mixed into the solvent to produce a test mixture. The turbidity of the test mixture is observed to determine the presence of hydrocarbons in the soil. The aqueous developer may contain at least 0.5% salt, e.g., at least 1%, preferably 5% salt, and an emulsifier. Turbidity may be measured quantitatively by measuring light scattered at 90.degree. to a test light beam or by visual comparison to a reference scale.

Abstract: The total base number of an oil sample of measured volume is determined by solvating the oil sample, adding a predetermined amount of acidic species to the solvated sample to react the acidic species with any basic species contained in the oil sample, extracting the remaining acidic species into an extractant phase, separating the extractant phase from the oil sample, and measuring the acidic species content of the extractant phase to determine the quantity of basic species in the oil sample. The same technique may be used to determine the total acid number of an oil sample by adding a predetermined amount of basic species to the sample and measuring the basic species content of the extractant phase.

Abstract: The presence of hydrocarbons in soil is detected by immersing a soil sample in a water-miscible solvent capable of dissolving the hydrocarbons to extract hydrocarbons from the soil into the solvent. An aqueous developer is mixed into the solvent to produce a test mixture. The turbidity of the test mixture is observed to determine the presence of hydrocarbons in the soil. The aqueous developer may contain at least 0.5% salt, e.g., at least 1%, preferably 5% salt, and an emulsifier. Turbidity may be measured quantitatively by measuring light scattered at 90.degree. to a test light beam or by visual comparison to a reference scale.

Abstract: The total base number of an oil sample of measured volume is determined by solvating the oil sample, adding a predetermined amount of acidic species to the solvated sample to react the acidic species with any basic species contained in the oil sample, extracting the remaining acidic species into an extractant phase, separating the extractant phase from the oil sample, and measuring the acidic species content of the extractant phase to determine the quantity of basic species in the oil sample. The same technique may be used to determine the total acid number of an oil sample by adding a predetermined amount of basic species to the sample and measuring the basic species content of the extractant phase.

Abstract: A method for measuring the halogenated organic compound content, e.g., polychlorinated biphenyl ("PCB") content, of soil samples may effectively be carried out with an inexpensive, disposable (that is, single-use) field test kit. The method includes contacting a weighted soil sample suspected of containing PCB or some other organohalogen contaminant with a pre-mixture of water and an organic solvent in which water is slightly soluble. The water extracts any inorganic halides which may be present and would adversely affect the accuracy of the test. The organic solvent wets the moist soil sample sufficiently to extract any PCB therein. The resultant organic solvent phase is separated from the soil sample and aqueous phase, dried by passage through a moisture-adsorbent material to remove or at least greatly reduce its moisture content, and analyzed by means of a color-change titration to determine halide content, and thereby the PCB (or other organohalogen) content, of the soil sample.

Abstract: An apparatus, which may be embodied in a disposable field test kit, and a test method serves to measure the halogen (bromine, chlorine, iodine) content, especially the chlorine content, of hydrocarbon liquids. The apparatus includes a sampling device in which a quantity of the hydrocarbon liquid, such as a used oil, is suctioned into a frangible collector such as a capillary tube to control sample size, and the tube is deposited into a flexible container which also contains frangible ampules holding pre-measured quantities of reagents, including a solvent for the sample. The container is squeezed to break the tube and ampules to release their contents in prescribed order. The sample is first solvated, then reacted with an alkali metal reagent which will form halides from halogen material present, extracted into an aqueous phase, titrated, and contacted with a color change indicator which acquires a characteristic color dependent upon the halogen material content.