3.1 Tall oil, both crude and refined, is an important by-product of the alkaline (kraft) pulping of pine wood. It consists primarily of fatty acids, resin acids, and neutral materials; the levels of these various components depend on factors such as the species of pine tree, geographic location, climate, etc.
3.1.1 Tall oil is used primarily as a commercial source of fatty acids and rosin, and, therefore, reliable methods for the analysis of these components is necessary.
1.1 These test methods cover the test procedures to be applied to whole tall oils or refined tall oils. Previous editions of these test methods have described test procedures that are used to test tall oil fatty acid, rosin, and other tall oil-derived products as well as test crude and refined tall oil. Consequently, these test methods are widely cited in reference books and industry literature for the testing of tall oil-derived products.
1.1.1 In this current revision, procedural details of some of the often-cited test methods have been removed and the test methods consolidated with other existing test methods. In such cases the consolidated methods, applicable to all tall oil-derived products.
1.2 The procedures appear in the following order:
| Physical Tests | Sections |
| Viscosity: |
|
| 8199;Rotational Viscometer Method (Preferred Method) | 7 |
| 8199;Bubble Time Method | 8 |
| Flash Point | 9 |
| Color | 10 |
| Moisture: | 11 |
| 8199;Insoluble Matter |