Gardner LCM IV User Manual

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Standard programs
cuvettes. Hazen values below 50 should be measured in 
50 mm cuvettes. Hazen values below 10 should be measured only with 
the 50 mm cuvette that was used for the calibration. The reason for this 
is that almost colorless products can cause false measurement results 
due to the cuvette tolerances.
5.5.4 Determination of the Gardner color value
The Gardner color value is defined in DIN-ISO 4630. The 
Gardner color values for lighter color tones (1 to 8) are based on 
potassium-chloroplatinate solutions, while the color values for 
darker color tones (9 to 18) are based on solutions of iron(III) 
chloride, cobalt(II) chloride and hydrochloric acid. You can 
determine Gardner values with all cuvette path lengths (but only 
values up to Gardner color value 4 in 50 mm cuvettes). 
The 10 mm and 11 mm cuvettes, however, usually offer adequate 
accuracy.
5.5.5 Determination of the Mineral oil color value (ASTM D 1500 and ISO 2049)
The mineral oil color scale is used to evaluate the color of mineral 
oil products such as lubricating oils, fuel oil, diesel fuel and 
paraffin. The color scale starts at color value 0 for water-white, 
non-colored oils and ends at 8 for very dark brown oils. The 
substances are optically rated in multiples of 0.5 (0.5; 1.0; 1.5 
etc.). The instrument displays the results in multiples of 0.1. For 
samples whose color value is higher than 8, *** is displayed.
Note: Due to the strong color of the ASTM D 1500 color number, it is 
only calculated for 11 mm round or 10 mm square cuvettes. No 
calculation is carried out for the 50 mm path length.
5.5.6 Determination of the Saybolt color number (ASTM D 156)
The Saybolt color scale is used to evaluate refined oil products 
such as petrol and kerosene, as well as petroleum waxes and 
pharmaceutical white oils.
The Saybolt color properties are comparable to those of the 
Hazen scale (APHA). The Saybolt color scale starts at color value 
+30 (lightest color, corresponds to approx. 8 to 10 Hazen) and 
ends at -16 (strongest color, corresponds to approx. 350 Hazen).
The measurements can be taken in cuvettes with path lengths of 10 mm, 
11 mm or 50 mm. A longer path length increases the measurement 
accuracy (50 mm recomended).
5.5.7 Color determinations only by LCS IV
5.5.7.1 Color determination according to the European Pharmacopoeia (EP)
The method used to determine coloration according to the 
Europeean Pharmacopoeia (Pharm.Eur.) corresponds to the 
specifications in Chapter 2.2.2 of the Pharmacopeia "Degree of 
Coloration of Liquids", 
 in which a total of 37 color reference 
solutions for the color tones yellow (Y1 – Y7), green-yellow (GY1 
– GY7), brownish-yellow (BY1 – BY7), brownish (B1-B9) and red 
(R1-R7) are defined. Each color reference solution is clearly 
defined in the CIE L*a*b* color space in terms of brightness, hue 
and saturation.