Standard Operating Procedure for Determination of

moisture by Karl Fischer reagent .

Aim: To determine the amount of moisture content in the oil sample by Karl Fischer reagent.

Requirements:
Chemicals: Carbinol (Methanol), Chloroform, Karl Fischer reagent.
Instruments: Karl Fischer Titator

Procedure:
1. Neutralization

 Add reference solvent i.e. anhydrous methanol in dried reaction vessel till it
covers electrode tip from sample insertion.
 Start stirrer and control the stirrer speed so as to stir the solution fast enough
without causing excessive splashing and bubble formation.
 Then add 10 micro liters distilled water and titrate it with Karl Fischer reagent.
Record the reading as A in ml of Karl Fischer consumed for neutralizing 10 micro
liter distilled water.
 Repeat this to get a constant reading.
2. Main Titration:

 Neutralize the liquid in Reaction Vessel before adding the oil sample and then
immediately add the sample by means of a weighing pipette or ml syringe in
titration vessel. (The mass of the oil sample should be exactly known in grams.)
Titrate it with the Karl Fischer reagent.
 Note the reading as ‘B’

Calculation:
1. For determining the KF factor take the average from the neutralization reading of
distilled water.

10
KF factor= (approximately 4)
A

KF factor × B
2. Amount of moisture(%) = ( ) = C in %
Sample weight ×10

3. Amount of moisture in ppm = C × 1000

Result: Report calculated amount of moisture in ppm.