Abstract: A first method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing a reagent including: sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; a base; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; a solvent; and a sulfonic acid; and the step of titrating the sample with the reagent. A second method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing the aforementioned reagent, combining the sample with the reagent; and adding a source of iodine to the sample and/or the reagent. The reagent may alternatively consist essentially of sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; imidazole and/or a derivative thereof; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; acetonitrile; methane sulfonic acid; and methanol and/or ethanol.

Abstract: A first method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing a reagent comprising: sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; a base; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; a solvent; and a sulfonic acid; and the step of titrating the sample with the reagent. A second method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing the aforementioned reagent, combining the sample with the reagent; and adding a source of iodine to the sample and/or the reagent. The reagent may alternatively consist essentially of sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; imidazole and/or a derivative thereof; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; acetonitrile; methane sulfonic acid; and methanol and/or ethanol.

Abstract: A method of validating a water determining device includes the steps of providing a liquid water standard including a room temperature ionic liquid, adding the liquid water standard to the water determining device, and determining the amount of water in the liquid water standard utilizing the water determining device thereby validating the water determining device.

Abstract: A method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes utilizing a reagent and includes sulfur dioxide or derivative thereof, a protic or aprotic solvent or combinations thereof, a derivative of imidazole that has the following structure: wherein each of R, R1, and R2 is independently a hydrogen atom, a phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, a first hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a second hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms interrupted in at least one position with a heteroatom, provided that R, R1, and R2 are not all hydrogen atoms. The reagent also includes a hydrogen halide donor. A molar ratio of the derivative of imidazole to the sulfur dioxide or derivative thereof is greater than 1:1. The method may include the step of providing a source of iodine.