DEAS 854: 2023 
ICS 87.040  
 
© EA C 2023                                                                                                                           Second Edition 
2023 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Thinner for nitrocellulose resin -based paints and lacquers — 
Specification  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 85 4: 2023 
ii © EAC  2023 – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
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 DEAS 854: 2023 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged tha t through 
harmonized stan dardization, trade barriers that are encounte red when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community w ill be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and 
issue Ea st African Standards  (EAS ). The Committee is composed of representativ es of the National 
Standards Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations  in the community .  
East African Standards are de veloped through  Technical  Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, priv ate sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the 
Partner States. The comments received are disc ussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in 
acco rdance with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards . 
East African Standards are subject to  review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they alwa ys have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
The committee responsible for this document is Techni cal Committee EASC/TC 070, Paints, vanishes and 
related products . 
This second  edition cancels and replaces the first edition (EAS 854:2016), which has been technically revised.  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be subj ect of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsi ble for identifying any or all such patent rights . 
 
 DRAF T EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 854: 2023 
 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  1 
 Thinner for nitrocellulose resin -based paints and lacquers — 
Specificatio n 
1 Scope   
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for thinners for nitro -
cellulose resin - based  paints and lacquers.  
2 Normative references   
The following documents are referred to in the text in s uch a way t hat some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this  document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For und ated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (in cluding any amendments) appli es. 
ASTM D 86, Standard test method for distillation of petroleum products at atmosp heric pressure    
ASTM D 1613, Standard test method for acidity in volatile so lvents  and chemical intermediates used in paints, 
varnish, lacquer and related products   
ASTM D  5580 -13, Standard test method for determination of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, p/mXylene, o -
Xylene, C9 and heavier aromatics, and total aromatics in finishe d gaso line by gas chromatography  
ASTM D 5769 -10, Standard test method for determination of Ben zene, Toluene, and total  aromatics in 
finished gasolines by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry   
ISO 1523, Determination of flash point — Closed cup equilibrium  metho d  
ISO 2811 (all parts), Paints and varnishes — Determination of density   
ISO 2813, Paint s and varnishes — Determ ination of gloss value at 20 degrees, 60 degrees and 85 degrees   
ISO 2884 -2, Paints and varnishes — Determination of viscosity using rota ry viscometers — Part 2: Disk or 
ball viscometer operated at a specified speed   
ISO 3248, Paints and varnishes — Deter mination of the effect of heat   
ISO 3251, Paints varnishes and plastics — Determination of non - volatile matter content   
ISO 3668, Paints  and v arnishes — Visual comparison of the colour of paints   
ISO 4618 , Paints and varnishes — Terms and definitions  
ISO 6504 -3, Paints and varnishes — Determination of hiding power — Part 3: Determination of contrast ratio 
of light coloured paints at a fixed  spreading rate   
ISO 9117 -3, Paints and varnishes — Drying t est — Part 3: Surface drying test using Ballotini  
ISO 15528,  Paints, varnishes and raw m aterials for paints and varnishes — Sampling   DEAS 854: 2023 
2 © EAC  2023 – All rights reserved  
 ISO 16000 -28, Indoor air — Part 28, Determination of odour em issions from building products using test 
chambers   
ISO 1713 2, Paints  and varnishes — T-bend test   
ISO 21207, Corrosion test in artificial atmosphere s — Accelerated corrosio n test involving alternate exposure 
to corrosion promoting gases, neutral salt spra y and drying  
3 Terms and defin itions   
For the purposes of this document , the terms and definitions given in I SO 4618  apply .  
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in s tandardi zation at  the following ad dresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platfor m: available at http://ww w.iso.org/obp   
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 Composition  
The thinner shall consist of orga nic liquids only and  shall be clea r and free from sediment and suspended 
matter.  
4.1.2 Compatibility  
4.1.2.1  When paint or lacquer based on nitro -cellulose is thinned in the r atio of one part of nitro -cellulose 
paint or lacquer with five parts by volume of thinner, the mixe d material sha ll be smooth and uniform.    
4.1.2.2  It shall not show the tendency of breakdown, coagulation or precipitation of the paint.  
4.2 Specific requ irements   
The thinner for nitrocellulose resin -based  paint  and lacquers  shall comply with the spec ific requirements given 
in Table 1 when tested in accordance wit h the test methods therein.   DEAS 854: 2023 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  3 
 Table 1 — Specific requirements of thinners for nitrocellulose resin -based paints and lacquers.  
S No. Parameter  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Relative density at 20 ºC, min.  0.780  ISO 2811  
ii.  Acidity (as acetic acid), %, max.  0.005 ASTM D 1613  
iii.  Toxicity  
 To pass  the test ASTM D 5580 , 
ASTM D 5769  
iv.  Colour  To pass  the test ISO 3668  
v.  Odou r To pass  the test ISO 16000 -28 
vi.  Spot Test  To pass  the test Annex A 
vii.  Distillation, ºC:  
 Initial boiling point, min.  
 Dry point, max.  
All partner states to colle ct data and 
submit findings toget her with the public 
review  comments.   
120 
170 ASTM D 86  
viii.  Residu e on evaporation mg/100 mL, max.  5 ASTM D 86  
ix.  Total hydrocarbon content, % max.  65 
ASTM D 5580 -13  
ASTM D5769  
x.  Alcoho ls, esters, keto nes, etc, %, ma x.  35 
xi.  Flash point, °C, min.  24 ISO 1523  
 
5 Storage stability  
Thinner  for nitrocellulose resin -based paints an d lacquers when stored in the original s ealed container under 
room temperature shall meet all the requirements for a period of at least one year from th e date of 
manufacture . 
6 Packaging  
Thinner  for nitrocellulose resin -based paints an d lacquers  shall be packaged in a s uitable container that 
prevents it from deterioration during storage, transportation and normal handling  
7 Labelling  
7.1 The labelling shall be either in English, Kiswahili or French or in combination as agreed bet ween the 
manufacturer an d the supplier. Any other language shall be optional.  
7.2 The thinners shall be packaged in containers that are legibly and i ndelibly marke d with the following 
information:  DEAS 854: 2023 
4 © EAC  2023 – All rights reserved  
 a) name of the product as “thinner  for nitrocellulose resin -based paints an d lacquers ”;  
b) manufacturer’s name and  physica l address and /or registered trade mark;  
c) indication of colour/colour code;  
d) date of manufa cture;  
e) net content;  
f) batch/cod e number;  
g) cautionary statement/symbols with the words : “Inflammable liquid”;  
h) country of origin;  
i) expiry d ate or best before date; and  
j) instructions for use,  storage and dispos al.   
8 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in acc ordance with ISO 15528.  DEAS 854: 2023 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex A  
(informative)  
 
Spot test  
A.1 Procedure  
A.1.1 Apply o ne to t hree drops of thinner  on a Whiteman filter paper No. 42  
A.1.2 Leave the thinner for 1h to evaporate . 
A.1.3 Examine the filter paper for any spot after one 1h 
A.2 Results  
There shall be no visible spot on the filter paper . DEAS 854: 2023 
6 © EAC  2023 – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
EAS 854:2015 Thinner for nitrocellulose resin -based paints and lacquers — Specification  
 DEAS 854: 2023   
 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved