SAMPLINC AND ANALYSIS OF OILSEED BY-PRODUCTS

AOS16 AOCS Official Method Bc7-51

Reapproved 2009

Screen Test
DEFINITION
This method determines the quantiry of material coarser than the screen used under the conditions of the
test (see Notes, 1).
SCOPE
Applicable to high-fat, low-fat, and defatted and reconstituted soybean flours.

APPARATUS
1. Metal crucible-5 cm high, 5 cm top diameter, 2.5 cm bottom diameter, fitted with US standard (or Tyler equivalent) wire
screen, 200, 325, or other mesh, as the need may be. The crucible may be made of sheet copperwith the screen soldered to
the bottom opening.
2. Crucible holder.
3. Filter flask-250 mL.
4. Compressed air supply, tubing, and tee-as shown in Figure 1.

REAGENTS
1. Carbon tetrachloride (CCln)-reagent grade (see Notes, Caution).

PREPARATION OF TEST SAMPLE

1. Mix iaboratory sample thoroughly in a closed container by turning the container manually or mechanically. Reduce the
laboratory sample to suitable size and store in an airtight container.

PROCEDURE
1. \X/eigh 1.000 g test portion into crucible.
2. Open air valve to give maximum agitation without causing sample to be forced out or over the edge of the crucible
(20-30 ml/sec).
3. Place crucible tightly in holder in filter flask and close air line to flask, using a clamp.
4. Add 1 5 mL CCl, (see Notes, Caution) around sides of crucible by means of burette, graduated pressure bottle, or graduate d
cylinder (see Notes, 2).
5. Place finger over air-control tube as air line to flask is opened. 'When flour is well mixed due to aeration (iess than 0.5 mL
solvent should have passed through screen at this point), release air-control tube for fraction of a second. Continue manipu-
lating air-control tube with fingei so air pressure is on bottom ofthe crucible 2 sec and released for a fraction ofa second,
until only about 1-2 mL of solvent remains in the crucible. At this point, remove finger from air-controi tube, and shake or
rotate crucible and flask until the remaining solvent has drained into filter flask.
6. Repeat above steps using successively one 10 mL and four 5 mL portions of solvent (see Notes, 3 and4).
7. Remove crucible from holder and wash residue three times with 1 .5 mL of soivent.
8. \7ipe sides and bottom of crucible with a towel. Let solvent evaporat€ in air or oven for a few minutes, and transfer retained
particles to small tared pan. Heat in oven 0.5 hr at i 10'C or 15 min at 135"C and weigh. If desirable, weighing may be made
directly in crucible.

CALCULATIONS
1. 7o Coarser than specified screen size = grams retained x 100

NOTES
Caution
Carbon tetrachloride is a known carcinogen. It is toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption, causing irritation, head-
aches, and nausea on mild exposure. More severe exposure can lead to liver and kidney damage. It is a narcotic. It should not be
used to extinguish fires. It decomposes to phosgene gas at high temperature. The TLV is 5 ppm in air. A fume hood should be
used at all times when using carbon tetrachloride.

NUMBERED NOTES
1. The method depends on
(") forcing air up through the bottom of the screen to clean the screen and obtain complete mixing of solvent and flour, and
(b) permitting only small increments of the solvent and flour to pass through the screen at one time so that no cake is built
up in the screen.

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SAMPLINC AND ANALYSIS OF OILSEED BY-PRODUCTS
Bc7-51 o Screen Test

2. At no time should solvent be applied directly onto the screen.

3. After adding first 5 mL of wash liquid, any clump of flour floating on top of the solvent should be broken up with small
spatula. The spatula may be rinsed off when adding the second 5 mL wash portion.
4. -When necessary to use sieve such that more than l5o/o of the sample remains on the sieve, rwo 10 mL washings instead of
one should be used.

Crucible

Crucible
holder
Air
>
line

Filter
flask

Figure l. Apparatus for the screen test.

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Glyighr @ 2009 t &AOG