Professional Documents
Culture Documents
for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D4952 − 23
solution these spots will be difficult to detect. 10.1.1 The relationship between the appearance of the
NOTE 4—Strictly speaking, the test will not reject the sample on the sample and the type of sulfur is shown in Table 1.
basis of mercaptans only. The primary criterion for rejection is the
appearance of the sulfur layer after shaking, and small amounts of 10.2 If the doctor test is positive, mercaptan content may be
mercaptans will only discolor the sulfur. However, samples which contain determined using Test Method D3227.
mercaptans will also normally contain small amounts of sulfur in other
forms which will discolor the layers at the interface. The addition of pure, 11. Precision and Bias
sublimed flowers of sulfur is required to indicate that a reaction of
mercaptan and sodium plumbite has occurred. 11.1 No justifiable values of repeatability, reproducibility, or
NOTE 5—When the sample contains appreciable amounts of hydrogen bias for this test method can be stated here because the test
sulfide, a heavy black precipitate may be formed during the initial shaking detects only the presence or absence of active sulfur species,
and before the addition of the sulfur. If such a precipitate is noted, the test such as hydrogen sulfide or mercaptan.
may be stopped at that point and the sample reported as “Does not pass.”
However, if this observation is at all doubtful, the test should be 12. Keywords
continued. If the sample darkens before the addition of sulfur is made, this
indicates that the sample contains mercaptans and an excess of elemental 12.1 doctor test; hydrogen sulfide; kerosine; mercaptans;
sulfur that is needed to drive the sample reaction with sodium plumbite. motor fuel; sulfur
SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Subcommittee D02.03 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue
(D4952 – 12 (2017)) that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved July 1, 2023.)
ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned
in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk
of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.
This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the
responsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should
make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.
This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above
address or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or service@astm.org (e-mail); or through the ASTM website
(www.astm.org). Permission rights to photocopy the standard may also be secured from the Copyright Clearance Center, 222
Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, Tel: (978) 646-2600; http://www.copyright.com/