Organic Impurities in Fine Aggregates for Concrete Standard Specification for AASHTO DESIGNATION: T 21-91 (1996)! 1. SCOPE LA This test method covers the pro- cedure for an approximate determination ‘of the presence of injurious organic com- pounds in fine aggregates that are to be lused in cement mortar or concrete. 1.2 This standard may involve haz- ardous materials, operations. and equip- ‘ment, This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use Iis the responsi bility of whoever uses this standard to ‘consult and establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use 2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS 2.1 AASHTO Standards: M6 Fine Aggregate for Portland Cement Concrete T2 Sampling Aggregates T 71 Effect of Organic Im- purities in Fine Ag- ‘gregate on Strength of Mortar T/248. Reducing Field Sam- ples of Aggregates to —. Testing Size 22. AST? Stamaarts~ D 1544 Test for Color of ‘Transparent Liquids (Gardner Color Sealey Th tind ape wih ASTM 40.92, exept (ASTM DESIGNATION: SIGNIFICANCE AND USE, 3.1 This test method is of signifi- ccance in making a preliminary detesmi- nation of the acceptability of fine aggre- gales with respect to the requirements of M6, 3.2. The principal value of this test method is to furnish a warning that or- ‘ganic impurities may be present. When «a sample subjected to this test produces 1a color darker than the standard color solution (see Section 5.2), itis advisable to perform the test for the effect of or- ganic impurities on the strength of mortar in accordance with T 71 4, APPARATUS 4 Glass Bottles —Twelve or 16-07 (WS. fluid) (approximately 350 or 470 mL) nominal capacity colorless glass ‘graduated bottles of approximately oval cross section, equipped with watertight stoppers or caps, not soluble inthe speci fied reagents. In no case shall the maxi- ‘mum outside thickness of the bottles, measured along the line of sight used for the color comparison, be greater than 2-My in, (60 mm) or less than 1.5 in, (40 mm). The graduations on the bottles shall be in ounces (U.S: fluid), or millili- tres, except that unmarked bottles may be calibrated and scribed with gradua- tions by the user. In such ease, graduation marks are required at only three points as follows: 4. Reference Color Solution Level—2'/, 02 (US. fluid) (75 mL), 41.2. Fine Aggregate Level—4'!s 02 (WS. Muid) (130 mL), and 413 NaOH Solution Level—T ot (WS. uid) (200 mL. C 40-92) 5, REAGENT AND REFERENCE STANDARD COLOR SOLUTION 5.1 Reagent Sodium Hydroxide So- lution (3 percent)—Dissolve 3 parts by weight of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in 97 parts of water, 5.2. Reference Standard Color Solu- tion —Dissolve reagent grade potassium dichromate (KCr,0;) in concentrated sulfuric acid (sp gr 1.84) at the rate of 0.250 2/100 mL. of acid. ‘The solution must be freshly made for the color com- parison using gentle heat if necessary to effect solution. Preparation of the refer- ence standard color solution is unneces- sary when the alternative procedure is used to determine the color valve. 6. SAMPLING 6.1 The sample shall be selected in general accordance with T 2. 7. TEST SAMPLE, 7A Obtain a test sample of fine ag- gregate weighing about | pound (approx- imately 450 grams) in accordance with T 248, Sample drying prior to testing, if necessary, shall be done by air dry- ing only. 8. PROCEDURE 8.1 Fill a glass bottle to the 4'/- fluid 02 (approximately 130-mL) level with the sample of the fine aggregate to be tested. 8.2 Add a 3-percent NaOH solution in water until the volume of the fine4 aggregate and liquid. indicated after shaking, is 7 fluid oz (approximately 200 mL). &3 Stopper the bottle, shake vigor- ously, and then allow to stand for 24 9. DETERMINATION OF COLOR VALUE 9.1 Standard Procedure—At the end of the 24-hour standing period, fill a lass bottle to the 2'/>-fluid oz (approxi mavrly ‘7S-ra.) level with the fresh refer- ence standard color solution, prepared not longer than 2 hours previously, as prescribed in Section 5.2. Then compare “hs wolor of the supernatant liguid above the tost sample with that of the reference %. 1 toe solution and record whether itis lighter, darker, oF of equal METHODS OF SAMPLING AND TESTING color to that of the reference standard ‘Make the color comparison by holding the two botles close together and looking, through them, 92 Alternative Procedure~To de- fine more precisely the color of the liquid of the test sample, five glass standard colors may be used as described in Table 1 of ASTM D 1544, using the follow- ing colors: Gardner Color ‘Standard No, $ 8 n 1“ 6 ‘Organic Pate No, (standard) ‘The comparison procedure described in Section 9.1 shall be used, except that the organic plate number which is nearest the color of the supernatant liquid above the test specimen shall be reported NOTE 1—A suitable instrument consists TI fof the glass color standards mounted in a plastic holder. The instrument is provided with all five organic plate number colors. 10, INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS 10.1 If the color of the supernatant liquid is darker than that of the reference standard color solution, the fine agare- gate under test shall be considered 10 possibly contain injurious organic com- pounds, and further tests should be made before approving the fine aggregate for use in concrete Il. PRECISION AND BIAS 1. Since this test produces no nu- ‘merical values, determination of the pre~ cision and bias is not necessary.