DEAS 122 : 2021  
ICS 71.060.30  
© EAC 20 21                                                                                                               Second  Edition  2021   
 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Sulfuric  acid — Specification   
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEAS 122: 2021  
ii © EAC 20 21 – All rights reserved  
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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 Afri can Community. It is envisaged that through harmonized 
standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged within the Community 
will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee (EASC) mandated to develop and issue 
East African Standards (EAS) and other deliverables. The Committee is composed of representatives of the 
National Standards Bodies in Partner States, tog ether with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations in the community.  
East African Standards are developed through Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups , private 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 discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, i n accordance 
with the p rinciples and procedures for development of East African Standards.  
East African Standards and other deliverables are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. 
Users of the East African Standards are therefore exp ected to ensure that they always have the latest versions 
of the standards they are implementing.  
The committee responsible for this document is  Technical Committee EASC/TC 069 , Organic and Inorganic 
chemicals.  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that s ome of the elements of this document may be subject of patent rights. 
EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
This second  editio n cancels and replaces the first edition (EAS 122:1999 ), which has been technically rev ised.  
 DEAS 122:2021    
 
© EAC 20 21 – All rights reserved  
  
 Sulfuric acid  — Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft  East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for sulfuric acid . This 
standard  covers four grades of sulfuric acid namely, technical, battery, pure and analytical reagents . 
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document 
(including any amendments) applies.  
EAS 123, Distilled water  
EAS 101, Foodstuffs — Method of determination of arsenic  
3 Terms and definitions  
No terms and definitions are listed in this document. ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in 
standardization at the following addresses: — ISO Online browsing platform: available at 
http://www.iso.org/obp ”  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General  requirements  
4.1.1 Grades of sulfuric acid   
4.1.1.1  There shall be four  grades of the material, namely;   
a) technical,  
b) battery   
c) pure and  
d) analytical reagents  
4.1.1.2  The battery grade acid shall have two  types , namely, concentrated and dilute  depending on the use . 
4.1.2  Description  
 
4.1.2.1  Technical grade  
Sulfuric acid of technical grade shall be a liquid not darker than light brown in colour.  
 
4.1.2.2  Battery grade concentrated and dilute  
Sulfuric acid for battery grade shall be a colourless liquid. The concentrated acid on dilution with an equal  
volume of distilled water, and the dilute acid as received shall be free from suspended matter and other visible 
impuritie s.  
2 
  
4.1.2.3  Pure and analytical reagent grades  
Sulfuric acid of pure and analytical reagent grades shall be a clear and colourless liquid, free from suspended matter 
and other visible impurities.  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
The sulfuric acid  shall comply with specific  requirements given in Table 2 when tested according to the methods  
prescribed .  
 
Table - 1: Specific requirements for sulphuric acid  
 
S/No.  Characteristic  Requirements  Test method  
 Technical  Battery  Pure  Analytical  
Concentrated  Dilute  
i)  Specific gravity at 
27 °C, min.  1.825  1.825  1.235  
 1.825  1.825  B.2 
ii)  Sulfuric acid (as 
H2SO 4), % by  
mass, min  95.0 95.0 29.7 95.0 96.0 B.3 
iii)  Residue on 
ignition, % by  
mass, max.  0.2 0.06 0.02 0.01 0.002 5  B.4 
iv)  Iron (as Fe), 
mg/kg , max.   500  20  6  1  1 B.5 
v)  Chlorides (as Cl) 
mg/kg , 
max -  10  3  35  3  
B.6 
vi)   Lead  mg/kg , 
max.   50  50  50  20  2  B.7 
vii)  Arsenic (as 
As2O3), mg/kg , 
max.   100  3  1  5  0.1 B.8 
viii)  Oxidizable 
impurities (as SO 2) - To pass test  To pass 
test   
40 mg/ kg, 
max.   
5 mg/kg , 
max B.9 
ix)  Organic matter  
 
 - To pass test  0.003  
  30 
 B.10 
x)  Nitrates (as NO 3) 
mg/kg , max.  - - - -  
0.2 B.11 
xi)  Ammonia (as 
NH 3), mg/kg , 
max.  - - - -  
5 B.12 
xii)  Selenium (as Se),  
mg/kg , max.    20  6 - - B.13 
xiii)  Manganese (as 
Mn), mg/kg , max.    1  0.3 - - B.14 
xiv)  Copper (as Cu),  
mg/kg , max.    30  10 - - B.15 
xv)  Zinc (as Zn),  
mg/kg , max.    30  10 - - B.16 
xvi)  Nitrates, nitrites 
and ammonia (as 
N), mg/kg , max.    30  10  30 - B.17  
3 
 5 Pack aging  
5.1 The sulfuric acid shall be packaged in suitable containers that protect the product’s integrity.  
 
5.2 When sulfuric acid is supplied in screw -stoppered earthenware or glass carboys, the containers shall  be 
fitted with leak -tight stoppers . and, if required by the purchaser, provided with rubber or poly ethylene  washers. 
The stoppers shall further be sealed by a putty made of china clay, or a mixture of sodium silicate  and asbestos 
flour, or a mixture of sulfur and send.  
 
5.3 Sulfuric acid of pure and analytical reagent grades shall be supplied in glass bottles or glass carboys  fitted 
with tight -fitting ground glass stoppers and no washers shall be used in closing them. The use of suitable  caps 
over the stoppers is recommended.  
 
5.4 The bottles or jars shall be packed in suitable pent top packing cases. T hese shall be placed in an  upright 
position on one layer of sand, or ashes free from cinders, or chalk, or dry earth and the empty  surrounding 
space shall also be filled with the same material to prevent movement. Carboys shall be packed  in suitable iron 
hampers or wooden crates stuffed with straw or wood shavings.  
 
5.5 In case of dilute sulfuric acid of specific gravity other than 1.235 certified in writing by the consignor,  the 
inside packing of the cases may be straw or glass or wood shavi ngs and the mass of each case shall not  exceed 
130 kg.  
 
6 Labelling  
6.1 Each package  shall be legibly and indelibly labelled in English and/or any other official language (French,  
Kiswahili, etc) used in the importing East African Partner State with the fol lowing information:  
 
a) name  of product as “sulfuric acid ” 
b) grade ; 
c) purity  
d) “specific gravity  
e) manufacturer’s name and physical address ;  
f) net content  
g) country of origin ; 
h) batch number or lot number.  
i) date of manufacture and best before date   
j) cautions for safety  such as  signal words , hazard pictogram, precaution statement, and hazard 
statement  
 
6.2 Sulfuric acid shall be supplied with the  safety data sheet which is written in language as depicted in 6.1.  
7 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with Annex A. 
  
4 
 Annex A  
(normative)  
Sampling of sulfuric acid  
 
A.1 General requirements of sampling  
In drawing samples, the following precautions and directions shall be observed.  
 
A.1.1 Precautions shall be taken to protect the samples, the material being sampled, the sampling  instrument 
and the containers for samples from adventitious contamination.  
A.1.2 To draw  a representative sample, the contents of each container shall be mixed thoroughly by  shaking or 
stirring by suitable means and with necessary caution.  
A.1.3 The samples shall be placed in suitable, clean, dry and airtight glass containers.  
A.1.4 Each samp le container shall be sealed airtight after filling and shall be marked with full details of  sampling, 
the date of sampling and the year of manufacture of the material.  
 
A.2 Scale of sampling  
A.2.1 Lot — All the containers in a single consignment of the ma terial drawn from a single batch of  manufacture 
shall constitute a lot. If a consignment is declared to consist of different batches of manufacture,  the batches 
shall be marked separately and the groups of containers in each batch shall constitute separate  lots. 
A.2.2 Sample shall be tested from each lot separately for judging the conformity of the material to the  
requirements of the specification. The number of containers to be selected from lots of different sizes shall be  
in accordance  with Table 2.  
A.2.3 The containers shall be drawn at random from the lot, and to ensure randomness, the following  
procedure may be adopted:   
Arrange all the containers in the lot in a systematic manner and, starting from anyone, count them as 1, 2,  
3, . . . . . . . . . . r, where r is the integral part of N/n (N and n being the lot size and the sample size  
respectively). Every rth container thus counted shall be included in the sample till the required number of 
containers specified in Column 2 of Table 2 is taken out.  
 
Table 2 – Number of containers to be selected for sampling (See A.2.2)  
 
Lot size  
N 
 Number of containers  
to be selected  
n 
 
2 to 8  
 2 
9 to 27  
 3 
28 to 64  
 4 
65 to 125  
 5 
126 to 216  
 6 
217 to 343  
 7 
344 to 512  
 8 
513 to 729  
 9 
730 to 1 000  
 10 
  
5 
 A.3 Procedure  
 
A.3.1 Carboys, drums, jars and bottles  
 
For drawing representative samples from these containers, agitate the material well by stirring with a glass  rod. Draw 
the required quantity of the material with the glass -sampling instrument shown in Figure 1 and  transfer it to a clean 
receptacle.  
 
A.3.2 Tank wagons  
 
While loading tank cars, samples shall be drawn at the discharge pipe where the material enters the tank car.  The 
composite sample of not less than 25 L drawn from each wagon shall consist of small portions of not  more than 500 
mL each, taken at regular intervals during the period of filling. When samples are drawn at the  purchaser's end, equal 
size samples of not less than one  litre each shall be taken at 10 cm depth intervals  and a composite sample shall be 
prepared by mixing these in a receptacle.  
 
 
All dimensions in millilitres  
Figure 1 – Sampling instrument  
 
 
A.4 Test samples and reference sample  
 
A.4.1 In case of sulfuric acid of battery grade, three sets of test samples of 600 mL each shall be obtained  from the 
composite sample of each selected container after thorough agitation of the acid. These shall be  placed in clean, dry, 
glass -stoppered bottles, closed tigh tly, sealed and labelled with all the particulars of  sampling.  
 
A.4.2 In case of other grades of sulfuric acid, three sets of test samples of 250 mL each shall be obtained  from the 
composite sample of each selected container after thorough agitation of the  acid. These shall be  placed in clean, dry, 
glass -stoppered bottles and closed tightly, sealed and labelled with all the particulars of  sampling.  
 
A.4.3 The vendor shall retain one set of sealed samples and deliver one set to the purchaser or his agent, if  so 
required.  
 
A.4.4 The third set of test samples, bearing the seals of the purchaser and the vendor, shall constitute the  
reference sample to be used in case of dispute between the purchaser and the vendor.  
 
 
A.5 Tests for acceptance  
 
6 
  
A.5.1 Examination and tests  
 
The purchaser may examine and test each of the reduced samples constituting the test sample separately for  
compliance with the requirements of this standard, or he may prepare, for the purpose of such examination  and 
at any stage of the progress of the examination, a composite sample representative of the whole lot, by  mixing 
all the reduced samples constituting the test sample.  
 
A.5.2 Criterion for conformity  
 
When the individual reduced samples in a test sample are separately exami ned and the results vary from one  
reduced sample to another, the criterion for confirming  the quality of the lot for the purpose of acceptance on 
the basis of the results obtained shall be at the discretion of the purchaser, unless otherwise previously agr eed 
to between the purchaser an d supplier . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
7 
 Annex B  
(Normative)  
Analysis of sulfuric acid  
 
B.1 Quality of reagents  
 
Unless otherwise specified, analytical, grade chemicals and distilled water conforming to EAS 123, Distilled  
water — Specification shall be used in tests.  
 
B.2 Determination of specific gravity  
 
B.2.1 Apparatus  
 
Hydrometer, Twaddell or Baume hydrometer  
 
B.2.2 Procedure  
Pour the material to be tested into a clean hydrometer jar the diameter of which shall be at least 25 mm  greater 
than the diameter of the hydrometer used. Care should be taken to remove all the air bubbles in the  liquid. Keep 
the jar in a vertical position in a bath maintained at 27.0 °C ± 0.5 °C. When the sample in the jar  attains the 
temperature of the bath, lower the hydrometer gently into the material. When it has settled, depress  it about two 
scale divisions into the liquid,  the un -immersed portions of the stem being kept dry, as any  unnecessary liquid 
on the stem changes the effective mass of the instrument and affects the reading obtained.  Allow 5 m in for the 
hydrometer to become stationary and for all air bubbles to come t o the surface. Read the  point on the 
hydrometer scale to which the sample rises with the eye placed at the level of the principle  surface of the 
material.  
 
B.2.3 Calculation  
 
i. With Twaddell hydrometer  
 
sp.gr.at 27°/ 27°C = 0.005  × Deg.Twadell+1 ……………………………. …(1)  
 
ii. With Baume hydrometer  
 
Specific gravity at 27 / 27 °C = 45
145 −Deg .Baume ……………………..(2)  
 
 
B.3 Determination of sulfuric acid  
 
Method A  
B.3.1 Apparatus  
Pipette, of suitable type, such as Lunge -Ray pipette of the shape end dimensions shown in Figure 2.  
B.3.2 Reagents  
B.3.2.1 Standard sodium hydroxide solution, 1.0 M . 
B.3.2.2 Methyl red indicator solution, dissolve 0.1 g of methyl red in 100 ml of rectified spirit.  
B.3.3 Procedure  
Pipette about 100 ml of distilled water in 250 -ml flask , add accurately  2 g of sulfuric acid  to dilute  and cool . 
Titrate against standard sodium hydroxide solution  using methyl red as indicator.  
  
8 
  
 
B.3.4 Calculation  
Sulfuric acid as H 2SO 4, % by mass  = 9.8 𝑉𝑀
𝑊………………………………………….. …(3)  
where  
V is the volume in ml of standard sodium hydroxide solution used;  
M is the molarity of standard sodium hydroxide solution; and  
W is the mass in g of the material taken for the test.  
 
All dimensions in millimetres  
 
Figure 2 - Lunge -Ray pipette  
 
 
Method B  
 
Alternative  method for determination of sulfuric acid  
 
Tare accurately a 125 -ml glass -stoppered conical flask containing 50 ml of 1N sodium hydroxide. Partially fill, without 
the use of vacuum, a 10-ml serological pipet from near the bottom of a representative sample, remove any acid 
adhering to the outside and discard the first ml flowing from the pipet. Hold the tip of the pipet just above the surface 
of the sodium hydroxide solution, and transfe r between 2.5 and 3 ml of the sample into the flask, mix the contents, 
and weigh accurately to obtain the weight of the sample. Add methyl orange and titrate the excess of sodium hydroxide 
with 1N hydrochloric acid.  
 
Calculation:  
 
Sulphuric acid, expressed  as % m/m, is calculated as  
 
% H 2SO 4 = (50 x Normality  of sodium  hydroxide  – titre  value  x normality  of hydrochloric  acid ) x 9.8
weight  of sample 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9 
 B.4 Determination of residue on ignition  
B.4.1 Procedure  
Weigh exactly 25 g of the material into a tared round bottom silica or porcelain dish. If the technical grade acid 
contains suspended impurities, allow it to settle for 24 h before transferring it to the porcelain dish and weighing. 
Heat the basin on a sand -bath until the acid is practically drive n off. Ignite on a good Bunsen flame or transfer 
to a suitable muffle furnace and heat for 15 min or until no further fumes of sulfur trioxide are evolved. Cool the 
basin in a desiccator and weigh.  Preserve the residue obtained from the battery grade conce ntrated and dilute 
acids for the test prescribed in  B.15.  
 
B.4.2 Calculation  
 
Residue on ignition, % by mass  =    100  𝑊1
𝑊2             ……………………………………..  …(4)  
where  
W1 is the mass in g of the residue, and  
W2 is the mass in g of the material taken for the test.  
 
B.5 Test for iron  
B.5.1 Apparatus  
Nessler tubes, 50 ml capacity.  
B.5.2 Reagents  
B.5.2.1 Ammonium persulfate  
B.5.2.2 Concentrated hydrochloric acid  
B.5.2.3 Butanolic potassium thiocyanate solution — Dissolve 10 g of potassium thiocyanate in 10 ml  
of water. Add sufficient n -butanol to make up to 100 ml and shake vigorously until the solution is clear.  
B.5.2.4 Standard iron solution — Dissolve 7.022 g of Iron (III ammonium sulfate (FeSO4.(NH4)2SO4.6H2O) 
in water in a one litre flask, add 4 mL of con centrated sulfuric acid and make up with water  to the mark. One 
millilitre of this solution contains one milligram of iron (as Fe). Dilute this iron solution suitably  according to the 
requirements of the test. The diluted solution shall not be used for mor e than three days after  preparation.  
B.5.3 Procedure  
B.5.3.1 For battery grade and pure grade acid  
Dilute exactly one gram of the material to 10 ml with water in a Nessler tube. Add about 30 mg of ammonium  
persulfate, one millilitre of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 15 mL of butanolic potassium thiocyanate  
solution. Make up to 50 ml , shake vigorously for 30 s. and allow the layers to separate. Carry out a control  test 
in the other Nessler tube in the same manner using standard iron s olution containing the following  amounts of 
iron: 
a) 0.02 mg of iron in the case of battery grade concentrated acid;  
b) 0.006 mg of iron in the case of battery grade dilute acid; and  
c) 0.01 mg of iron in the case of pure grade acid.  
 
B.5.3.2 For technical grade acid  
Dilute exactly on e gram of the material to 100 ml. Take 10 ml  of this solution and carry out the test as  
prescribed under B.5.3.1, but using 0.05 mg of iron in the control test.  
 
B.5.3.3 For analytical reagent grade acid  
Take exactly 1 0 g of the material and carry out the test as prescribed under B.5.3.1, but using 0.01 mg of iron   
10 
 in the control test.  
B.5.3.4 Limits  
The limit prescribed for the appropriate grade in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if the  
intensity of t he red colour produced in the butanolic layer with the material is not greater than that produced in  
the respective control tests . 
 
B.6 Test for chlorides  
B.6.1 Apparatus  
Nessler tubes 50 ml capacity  
B.6.2 Reagents  
B.6.2.1 Dilute nitric acid , approximately 4 M  
B.6.2.2 Silver nitrate solution % (w/v), approximately five  
B.6.2.3 Standard chloride solution — dissolve 0.164 9 g of ignited sodium chloride in 1 000 ml of water. Dilute 
100 ml of this solution again to one litre. One millilitre of the diluted solution is equivalent to 0.01 mg of chloride 
(as CI). Dilute this solution suitably according to the requirements of the test.  
 
B.6.3 Procedure  
Dilute exactly 2 g of the material to 50 ml with water in a Nessler tube. Add 1 ml of  dilute nitric acid and 1 ml of  
silver nitrate solution and mix. Carry out a control test in the other Nessler tube in the same manner using  
standard chloride solution containing the following amounts of chloride.  
a) 0.02 mg in the case of battery grade co ncentrated acid;  
b) 0.006 mg in the case of battery grade dilute acid, and analytical reagent grade acid; and  
c) 0.07 mg in the case of pure grade acid.  
The limit prescribed for the appropriate grade in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if  the 
turbidity produced in the test solution is not greater than that produced in the respective control test.  
 
B.7 Test for heavy metals  
B.7.1 Apparatus  
Nessler tubes , 50 ml  
B.7.2 Reagents  
B.7.2.1 Ammonium hydroxide, approximately 6 M . 
B.7.2.2 Acetic acid, 33 % by mass that complies with the following test for freedom from Iead:  
Take 20 ml of acetic acid and make it alkaline with ammonium hydroxide, add one millilitre of potassium  
cyanide solution, dilute to 50 ml with water and add two drops of sodium sulphide solution. No dark colour  
shall appear.  
B.7.2.3 Standard lead solution — dissolve 1.6000 g of lead nitrate in 100 mL of water and a few drops  
of nitric acid. Dilute the solution to 1 000 mL. Take 10 ml of the solution and make up to 1 000 mL. 1 mL of this  
solution contains 0.01 mg of lead (as Pb).  
B.7.2.4 Sodium sulfide solution — Dissolve 10 g of sodium sulfide in sufficient quantity of water to  
produce 100 mL of solution. Filter and preserve in a dark bottle.  
B.7.3 Procedure  
B.7.3.1 For technical grade acid   
11 
 Transfer exactly 4 g of the material to a beaker containing about 15 mL of water and dilute to about 25 mL  
with water. Neutralize the acid with measured quantity of ammonium hydroxide. Acidify with 1 ml of acetic acid  
and make up the solution to 50 mL. Take 10 mL of the solution in one Nessler tube and dilute to the mark.  
Add 10 drops of sodium sulphide solution and mix. Carry out a control test in the other Nessler tube using 4  
mL of standard lead solution.  
B.7.3.2 For analytic al reagent grade acid  
Take exactly 4 g of the material and after neutralization and acidification as in B.7.3.1, transfer the solution to  a 
Nessler tube. Dilute to the mark and add 10 drops of sodium sulfide solution and mix. Carry out a control  test in 
the other Nessler tube using 0,8 mL of standard lead solution.  
B.7.3.3 For pure grade acid  
Take exactly 4 g of the material and after neutralization and acidification as in B.7.3.1, make up the solution to  
50 mL. Take 25 mL of the solution in a Nessler tub e and dilute to the mark. Add 10 drops of sodium sulphide 
solution and mix. Carry out a control test in the other Nessler tube using 4 mL of standard lead solution.  
 
B.8 Determination of arsenic  
Arsenic shall be determined according to EAS 101, Foodstuffs — Method of determination of arsenic . 
 
B.9 Test for oxidizable impurities  
B.9.1 Reagent  
Potassium permanganate solution , exactly 0.002 M . 
B.9.2 Procedure  
B.9.2.1 For battery grade (concentrated and dilute) acids  
Dilute one millilitre of the material to 10 mL with water, cool and add one millilitre of potassium permanganate 
solution. The material shall be taken to have passed the test if the pink colour of the solution is not discharged 
at once.  
 
B.9.2.2 For pure grade acid  
Add 20 mL of the ma terial, slowly and with stirring, to 60 mL of water,  cool and add 4 mL of potassium 
permanganate solution.  
The relevant limit prescribed in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if the mixture remains  pink 
for 5 min.  
 
B.10 Test for organic mat ter 
Heat the acid in a clean beaker until the acid begins to fume strongly. The material shall be taken to have passed 
the test if it shows no perceptible charring . 
 
B.11 Test for nitrates  
B.11.1 Reagent  
B.11.1.1 Concentrated hydrochloric acid  
B.11.1.2 Dip henylamine solution — Prepare by mixing 90 mg of diphenylamine with 60 ml of nitrogenfree  
sulfuric acid and adding the mixture to 20 ml of water.  
B.11.2 Procedure   
12 
 Dilute 6 ml of the material with 2 ml of water, cool to 60 °C and add one drop of concentrate d hydrochloric  
acid and one millilitre of diphenylamine solution.  
The limit prescribed in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if no blue colour is produced.  
 
B.12 Test for ammonia  
B.12.1 Reagents  
B.12.1.1 Sodium hydroxide solution, approximately 30 % (w/v).  
B.12.1.2 Nessler solution — Dissolve 10 g of potassium iodide in 10 mL of water and add to it slowly,  
with stirring, a saturated aqueous solution of mercury (II) chloride until a slight permanent precipitate forms.  
Add 30 g of potassium hydroxide and, when it has dissolved, add 1 mL more of mercury (II) chloride solution  
and dilute to 200 mL with water. Allow settling overnight and then decanting the clear solution. Keep the  
solution in a  bottle closed with a well -fitting rubber stopper.  
B.12.1.3 Standard ammonium chloride solution — Dissolve 0.314 g of ammonium chloride in one litre  of 
water. Further dilute 100 ml of the solution to one litre. One millilitre of the diluted solution contai ns 0.01 mg  of 
ammonia (as NH3).   
B.12.2 Procedure  
Add exactly 20 g of the material to 40 mL of water, cool in ice and make alkaline with sodium hydroxide  solution. 
Add to the mixture one millilitre of Nessler solution. Carry out a control test using 10 mL of standard  ammonium 
chloride solution in place of the material, finally diluting the contents to the same volume as in the  test with the 
material.  
The limit prescribed in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if the intensity of the colour produced 
is not more than that produced in the control tests.  
 
B.13 Test for selenium  
B.13.1 Reagents  
B.13.1.1 Concentrated hydrochloric acid  
B.13.1.2 Sodium sulfide  
B.13.1.3 Standard selenium solution — Dissolve 0.100 g of selenium in 5 ml of conce ntrated nitric acid  
and 10 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid. Evaporate to dryness and then take up the residue with water  
and a little dilute sulfuric acid (3 M ). Make up the volume to 1 000 ml. 1 ml of this solution contains 0.1 mg of 
selenium (as  Se). 
B.13.2 Procedure  
B.13.2.1 For battery grade concentrated acid  
Cool exactly 5 g of the material contained in a test -tube by surrounding the tube with crushed ice. Carefully  add 
to the acid 10 mL of concentrated hydrochloric acid containing about 10 mg  of sodium sulfite. When the  
effervescence ceases, no red colour shall appear at the zone of contact of the two liquids at the end of 3 min.  
from the time the acid is completely covered by the first addition. The reddish brown ring caused by selenium,  
if present, forms slightly above, and separates from, a yellow ring, which may result from the presence of  copper 
and iron. Carry out a control test using the millilitre of standard selenium solution in the same total  volume and 
compare the selenium rings view ing them transversely against a white background.  
B.13.2.2 For battery grade dilute acid  
Carry out the test as described under B.13.2.1 using exactly 5 g of the material for the test and 0.3 ml of   
13 
 standard selenium solution for the control test.  
 
B.14 Test for manganese  
B.14.1 Reagents  
B.14.1.1 Concentrated nitric acid  
B.14.1.2 Potassium periodate  
B.14.1.3 Standard potassium permanganate solution, exactly 0.000 2 M . 
 
B.14.2 Procedure  
B.14.2.1 For battery grade concentrated acid  
Dilute exactly 25 g o f the material to 95 mL and add 5 mL of concentrated nitric acid. Add 0.5 g of potassium 
periodate and boil the solution vigorously in a covered beaker for 5 min. Cool and compare the colour with that 
of an equal volume of a solution containing 2.3 mL of s tandard potassium permanganate solution, 5 ml of nitric 
acid and 0.5 g of potassium periodate in water, this solution having been treated in the same manner.  The 
relevant limit prescribed in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if the intensi ty of colour  produced 
by the material is not greater than that produced in the control test.  
B.14.2.2 For battery grade dilute acid  
Carry out the test as described under B.14.2.1 using exactly 25 g of the material for the test and 0.7 mL of  
standard potassium permanganate solution for the control test.  
B.15 Test for copper  
If the residue on ignition as obtained in B.4.1 exceeds 0.003 %, use it for the test for copper. If the residue on  
ignition does not exceed 0.003 %, the test for copper sha ll not be carried out.  
B.15.1 Apparatus  
Nessler tubes, 25 ml capacity.  
B.15.2 Reagents  
B.15.2.1 Concentrated hydrochloric acid  
B.15.2.2 Ammonium hydroxide , sp. gr. 0.90.  
B.15.2.3 Standard copper solution — Dissolve 0.393 g of cupric sulfate (CuSO4.5H 2O) in  1 000 ml of  
water. 1 ml of the solution contains 0.1 mg of copper (Cu).  
B.15.3 Procedure  
Add to the residue obtained in B.4.1, 1 mL of concentrated hydrochloric acid, warm on a steam bath to  dissolve 
copper and iron oxides, and dilute to 10 mL. Neutralize  the solution with ammonium hydroxide and  add 4 mL of 
ammonium hydroxide in excess. Heat sufficiently to coagulate any precipitate, filter into a Nessler  tube, and 
dilute to 25 mL. The relevant limit prescribed in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded  if the 
intensity of the blue colour in the solution is not greater than that of a control standard prepared from the  following 
amounts of standard copper solution treated with 4 mL of ammonium hydroxide and diluted to 25 mL  in another 
Nessler tube : 
a) 7.5 mL in the case of battery grade concentrated acid, and  
b) 2.5 mL in the case of battery grade dilute acid.  
 
B.16 Test for zinc  
Test for zinc shall be carried out only if the residue on ignition as determined in B.4.1 exceeds 0.003 %.   
14 
 B.16.1 Reagents  
B.16.1.1 Ammonium hydroxide, sp. gr. 0.90.  
B.16.1.2 Dilute sulfuric acid, 3 M and 0.5 M . 
B.16.1.3 Hydrogen sulfide gas  
B.16.1.4 Methyl red indicator solution , same as in B.3.2.2  
B.16.2 Procedure  
Neutralize 100 mL of the material with ammonium hydroxide. Dilute the solution to 200 mL, add 10 mL of  sulfuric 
acid (3 M ) and saturated with hydrogen sulphide. Filter, boil to remove all hydrogen sulphide, and  neutralize 
exactly the cooled solution with ammonium hydroxide, using methyl red  as indicator. Add exactly  one millilitre 
of dilute sulfuric acid 0.5 M for each 100 mL of solution and pass a rapid stream of hydrogen  sulfide through the 
solution for 20 min. If a precipitate forms, filter, wash, ignite and weigh the precipitate. The  relevant limit 
prescribed in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if the mass of the ignited  precipitate does not 
exceed 5.5 mg in the case of battery grade concentrated acid and 1.2 mg in the case of  battery grade dilute 
acid.  
 
B.17 Test fo r nitrates, nitrites and ammonia  
B.17.1 Apparatus  
Nessler tubes, 50 ml capacity.  
B.17.2 Reagents  
B.17.2.1 Sodium hydroxide solution , approximately 40 %.  
B.17.2.2 Devarda's alloy — containing 45 parts aluminium, 50 parts copper and 5 parts zinc. Heat the 
aluminium in a Hessian crucible in a furnace until the aluminium begins to melt. Add copper in small portions 
and heat until liquefied. Now plunge zinc into the molten mass. Cover the crucible and heat the mixture for a 
few moments and stir with an iron rod.  Allow it to cool slowly with the cover on and then pulverize the crystallized 
mass.  
B.17.2.3 Dilute hydrochloric acid, a pproximately 6 M. 
B.17.2.4 Nessler solution, same as in B.12.1.2.  
B.17.2.5 Standard ammonium chloride solution — prepare a solution containing 0.381 9 g of  
ammonium chloride per litre. 1 mL of this solution contains 0.1 mg of nitrogen (N).  
 
B.17.3 Procedure  
Weigh exactly 20 g of the material and add cautiously to 100 mL of water in a 500 - mL flask. After cooling, 
carefully neutralize with sodium hydroxide solution till the liquid is distinctly alkaline. Add 2 g of Devarda's alloy 
and fit a distillation head and condenser. After 1 h, distil off 50 mL into a conical flas k containing 1 ml of dilute 
hydrochloric acid. Transfer the distillate to a Nessler tube; add 1 mL of sodium hydroxide solution and 2 mL of 
Nessler solution. Carry out a control test following the same procedure using the following quantities of standard 
ammonium chloride solution.  
a) 6 ml in the case of pure grade acid and battery grade concentrated acid; and  
b) 2 ml in the case of battery grade dilute acid.  
The relevant limit prescribed in Table 1 shall be taken as not having been exceeded if the intensit y of colour 
produced with the material is not greater than that produced in the respective control test.   
15 
 Bibliography  
EAS 122:  1999 Sulfuric acid - Specification  
TZS 74:2017 Sulfuric acid - Specification