This test method is used to determine the chemical properties of tannery liquors which are relevant for the vegetable tanning process and influence the astringency of vegetable tanning liquors. The astringency of liquors is dependent upon the solids and tannin content and the acidity. This method provides a standard procedure for determining these properties for any sample of vegetable tanning liquor.

The specimens are aliquots from the analytical solution prepared from the sample of tannery liquor collected for this purpose.

The total solids, soluble solids, and non-tannins content are determined and then the tannin content of the liquor sample is calculated. Because the amount of tannin per liter of analytical solution is less than that required for Test Method D 6401, a table specifying the quantity of prepared hide powder to be used for solutions with lower tannin concentrations is included in this test method.

The total acidity of the liquor sample is determined by one of two titrametric procedures described in Test Method D 6410.

The results of this test method are dependent on a great many variables but particularly upon: the temperature conditions under which the solutions were prepared and stored and the temperature at which the current analysis is performed; the uniformity and consistency of the Kaolin paste layer deposited onto the filter paper; the rate of solution run-out from the pipette; conditions related to the properties of the hide powder used to react with the tannin content of the solution; etc. It is, therefore, essential that the method be followed exactly in order to obtain reproducible results both among specimens within a laboratory and for analyses between laboratories.