scope:

This document specifies a test method for the determination of the content of mono-aromatic, diaromatic and tri+-aromatic hydrocarbons in diesel fuels, paraffinic diesel fuels and petroleum distillates.

This document defines two procedures, A and B.

Procedure A is applicable to diesel fuels that may contain fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) up to 30 % (V/V) (as in [1], [2] or [3]) and petroleum distillates in the boiling range from 150 °C to 400 °C (as in [4].

Procedure B is applicable to paraffinic diesel fuels with up to 7 % (V/V) FAME. This procedure does not contain a dilution of the sample in order to determine the low levels of aromatic components in these fuels.

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons content is calculated from the sum of di-aromatic and tri+- aromatic hydrocarbons and the total content of aromatic compounds is calculated from the sum of the individual aromatic hydrocarbon types.

Compounds containing sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen can interfere in the determination; mono-alkenes do not interfere, but conjugated di-alkenes and poly-alkenes, if present, can do so. The measurement ranges that apply to this method are given in Table 2 and Table 3.

NOTE 1 For the purpose of this document, the terms "% (m/m)" and "% (V/V)" are used to represent the mass fraction, µ, and the volume fraction, φ, of a material respectively

NOTE 2 By convention, the aromatic hydrocarbon types are defined on the basis of their elution characteristics from the specified liquid chromatography column relative to model aromatic compounds. Their quantification is performed using an external calibration with a single aromatic compound for each of them, which can be representative of the aromatics present in the sample. Alternative techniques and test methods can classify and quantify individual aromatic hydrocarbon types differently.

NOTE 3 Backflush is part of laboratory-internal maintenance.

WARNING - The use of this document can involve hazardous materials, operations and equipment. This document does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of users of this document to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and health of personnel prior to application of the standard, and fulfil statutory and regulatory requirements for this purpose.