ASTM D1833 Standard Test Method for Odor of Petroleum Wax
3. Summary of Test Method
3.1 Odor test specimens are prepared from petroleum wax by placing approximately 10 g of thin shavings on odor-free paper or glassine. Individual test specimens are then evaluated for odor by each panel member and assigned the number corresponding to the odor scale description best fitting the intensity of the odor. As an alternative procedure, the wax shavings are placed in bottles, with each panel member making the odor evaluation between 15 and 60 min after the specimens are prepared. The average of the panel rating is reported as the odor rating of the sample.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 In some uses of petroleum wax, such as food packaging, odor intensity of the wax is an important property. For example, some description of limits on wax odor often appears in specifications for petroleum wax. The method given here provides a basis for agreement between laboratories on the odor intensity of wax using a numerical scale rather than descriptive terms. While the method is primarily intended for rating odor intensity, results can be influenced by odor type.
