CHAPTER 6 
WATER / MOISTURE CONTENT 
DETERMINATION 
(POLAROGRAPHY) 
ASST. PROF. MA. LOURDES LICSI -MOJARES, R. PH. 
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY 
CEU MANILA
KARL FISCHER TITRATION 
METHOD 
A WIDELY USED METHOD FOR THE 
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF WATER 
CONTENT IN A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS. 
IT USES COULOMETRIC OR VOLUMETRIC 
TITRATION TO DETERMINE TRACE WATER 
AMOUNTS OF IN A SAMPLE.
KARL FISCHER METHOD: PRINCIPLES 
KARL FISCHER DISCOVERED THAT THIS 
REACTION CAN BE MODIFIED TO BE USED 
IN WATER CONTENT DETERMINATION (IN 
AN AQUEOUS SYSTEM) CONTAINING AN 
EXCESS OF SULFUR DIOXIDE.
KARL FISCHER TITRATOR
TITRATION 
VESSEL MAGNETIC 
STIRRER 
PISTON 
BURET 
FOR 
TITRANT 
PISTON 
BURET 
FOR 
SOLVENT 
RESERVOI 
R FOR 
SOLVENT 
RESERVOIR 
FOR 
TITRANT 
GUARD TUBE 
W/ 
DESSICANT 
WASH BOTTLE 
(CONC. H2SO4) 
WASHBOTTLE 
W/ KF 
REAGENT 
ELECTROMETRIC 
INDICATOR 
CIRCUIT 
PISTON 
MOTORS
KARL FISCHER METHOD: PRINCIPLES 
IT IS BASED ON THE BUNSEN REACTION 
BETWEEN IODINE AND SULFUR DIOXIDE 
IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM. 
HE USED 10 ALCOHOL (METHANOL) AS A 
SOLVENT AND A BASE (PYRIDINE) AS 
BUFFERING AGENT.
KARL FISCHER REACTION 
ROH + SO2 + R’N [R’NH]SO3R + H2O + I2 + 
2R’N 
ALCOHOL BASE ALKYLSULFITE SALT WATER IODINE 
2[R’NH]I + R[N’H] SO4R 
HYDROIODIC ACID SALT ALKYLSULFATE SALT
BUNSEN REACTION: EXPLANATION 
ALCOHOL REACTS W/ SULFUR DIOXIDE 
AND A BASE TO FORM AN INERMEDIATE 
ALKYLSULFITE SALT, W/C IS THEN 
OXIDIZED BY IODINE TO AN 
ALKYLSULFATE SALT. 
THIS OXIDATION REACTION CONSUMES 
WATER.
BUNSEN REACTION: EXPLANATION 
pH RANGE OF THE BUNSEN REACTION 
TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 5 TO 8. 
pH LOWER THAN 5 – TITRATION IS 
SLOW 
pH LOWER THAN 8 – TITRATION IS FAST
KARL FISCHER REACTION 
THE REACTIVE ALCOHOL IS TYPICALLY; 
1. METHANOL 
2. 2[2-ETHOXYETHOXY] ETHANOL / 
DIETHYELENE GLYCOL MONOETHYL 
ETHER / DEGEE 
3. OTHER SUITABLE ALCOHOL
KF METHOD: HOW IT WORKS? 
1. WATER AND IODINE ARE CONSUMED AT 
1:1 RATIO (IN THE BUNSEN REACTION). 
2. ONCE ALL THE WATER PRESENT IS 
CONSUMED, THE PRESENCE OF EXCESS 
IODINE IS DETERMINED 
VOLUMETRICALLY BY THE INDICATOR 
ELECTRODE OF THE TITRATOR.
KF METHOD: HOW IT WORKS? 
3. THIS SIGNALS THE ENDPOINT OF THE 
TITRATION. 
3. THE AMOUNT OF WATER PRESENT IN 
THE SAMPLE IS CALCULATED BASED ON 
THE CONCENTRATION OF IODINE IN THE 
KF TITRATING AGENT ( TITER), AND 
THE KF REAGENT CONSUMED IN THE 
TITRATION.
KF METHOD: ADVANTAGES 
HIGH ACCURACY & PRECISION 
SELECTIVITY FOR WATER 
SMALL SAMPLE QUANTITIES REQUIRED 
EASY SAMPLE PREPARATION
KF METHOD: ADVANTAGES 
SHORT TIME OF ANALYSIS 
NEARLY UNLIMITED MEASURING RANGE 
SUITABILITY FOR ANALYSIS OF ALL 
FORMS OF SAMPLES
KF METHOD: ADVANTAGES 
INDEPENDENCE OF PRESENCE OF OTHER 
VOLATILES 
SUITABILITY FOR AUTOMATION
ADVANTAGE OF KF METHOD 
TO LOD METHOD 
LOSS ON DRYING (LOD) WILL ONLY 
DETECT ANY VOLATILE SUBSTANCE. 
KF METHOD IS VERY SPECIFIC FOR 
WATER DETECTION.
KARL FISCHER TITRATION: TYPES 
VOLUMETRIC KFT 
IODINE IS MECHANICALLY ADDED TO THE 
SOLVENT CONTAINING THE SAMPLE, BY 
THE TITRATOR’S BURETTE DURING 
TITRATION. 
WATER IS QUANTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF 
THE VOLUME OF THE KF REAGENT 
CONSUMED.
KARL FISCHER TITRATION: TYPES 
VOLUMETRIC KFT 
BEST SUITED FOR DETERMINATION OF 
WATER CONTENT IN THE RANGE OF 100 
PPM TO 100%.
KARL FISCHER TITRATION: TYPES 
TYPES OF VOLUMETRIC KFT REAGENT 
SYSTEMS: 
1. ONE-COMPONENT VOLUMETRIC KF 
KNOWN AS COMBITITRANT OR A 
COMPOSITE 
IT CONTAINS ALL THE CHEMICALS NEEDED 
FOR A KF REACTION.
KF REAGENTS: Volumetric & 
Coulometric
KARL FISCHER TITRATION: TYPES 
2. TWO-COMPONENT VOLUMETRIC KF 
IT HAS BETTER LONG TERM STABILITY 
FASTER TITRATION TIMES 
MORE EXPENSIVE 
LOWER SOLVENT POWER 
TITRANT – CONTAINS IODINE & METHANOL 
SOLVENT – CONTAIN THE OTHER KF 
COMPONENTS.
KARL FISCHER TITRATION: TYPES 
COULOMETRIC KFT 
IODINE IS GENERATED 
ELECTROCHEMICALLY “IN SITU” DURING 
THE TITRATION. 
WATER IS QUANTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF 
THE TOTAL CHARGE PASSED, AS MEASURED 
BY THE CURRENT AND TIME, ACCORDING 
TO THE FF. RELATIONSHIP;
COULOMETRIC KFT equation 
Q = 1 C = 1 A x 1 S 
where: 1 mg H2O = 10.72 C 
Q = total charge passed A= ampere 
C= Coulomb S = second
VOLUMETRIC KF TITRATOR 
: PROCEDURES 
DISPENSES THE TITRATING REAGENT 
(CONT’NG IODINE) INTO THE CELL, USING 
THE BURETTE. 
DETECTS THE ENDPOINT OF THE TITRATION 
USING THE DOUBLE PLATINUM PIN 
INDICATOR ELECTRODE. 
CALCULATES THE END RESULT BASED ON THE 
VOLUME OF THE KF REAGENT DISPENSED, 
USING THE ON-BOARD MICROPROCESSOR.
COULOMETRIC KF TITRATOR: 
PROCEDURE 
GENERATES IODINE AT THE ANODE OF THE 
TITRATION CELL. 
DETECTS THE ENDPOINT OF THE TITRATION 
USING THE DOUBLE PLATINUM PIN 
INDICATOR ELECTRODE. 
CALCULATES THE END RESULT BASED ON 
THE CHARGE PASSED (Q) IN COULOMBS, 
USING THE ON-BOARD MICROPROCESSOR.
KARL FISCHER TITRATION SYSTEMS 
FISHER SCIENTIFIC AUTOMATIC KF 
TITRIMETER SYSTEM, USA 
HARVARD LTE TURBOTITRATOR, UK 
HIRANUMA AQV 5 AQUACOUNTER, 
JAPAN
KARL FISCHER TITRATION SYSTEMS 
KYOTO, MKS 3P, JAPAN 
METROHM 633 KF TITRATOR / 658 KF 
METROPROCESSOR / 701 KF TITRINO, 
CH 
MITSUBISHI CA-06, JAPAN 
METTLER DL 18 KF TITRATOR, CH
KARL FISCHER TITRATION SYSTEMS 
RADIOMETER ETS 850 / MTS 855, 
DK 
SCHOTT TR 151 / TR 152 D
METTLER KF TITRATOR
METROHM FISHER SCIENTIFIC 
KF TITRATORS
KYOTO and MITSUBISHI 
KF TITRATORS
SCHOTT and RADIOMETER 
KF TITRATORS
LOSS ON DRYING (LOD) 
A CLASSIC LABORATORY METHOD OF 
MEASUREMENT OF HIGH LEVEL 
MOISTURE IN SOLID OR SEMISOLID 
MATERIALS. 
A RELATIVELY SLOW METHOD OF 
ANALYSIS.
LOSS ON DRYING (LOD) 
A SAMPLE OF THE MATERIAL IS WEIGHED, 
HEATED IN AN OVEN, COOLED IN A DRY 
ATMOSPHERE OF A DESSICATOR, THEN 
RE-WEIGHED. 
IF THE VOLATILE CONTENT OF THE SAMPLE IS 
PRIMARILY WATER, THE LOD GIVES A 
GOOD MEASURE OF WATER CONTENT.
DIGITAL MOISTURE ANALYZER:
IR MOISTURE ANALYZERS
HALOGEN MOISTURE ANALYZER
MOISTURE ANALYZERS: NEW and OLD

Unit 6 Water Content Determination and Moisture analysis

  • 1.
    CHAPTER 6 WATER/ MOISTURE CONTENT DETERMINATION (POLAROGRAPHY) ASST. PROF. MA. LOURDES LICSI -MOJARES, R. PH. SCHOOL OF PHARMACY CEU MANILA
  • 2.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATION METHOD A WIDELY USED METHOD FOR THE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF WATER CONTENT IN A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS. IT USES COULOMETRIC OR VOLUMETRIC TITRATION TO DETERMINE TRACE WATER AMOUNTS OF IN A SAMPLE.
  • 3.
    KARL FISCHER METHOD:PRINCIPLES KARL FISCHER DISCOVERED THAT THIS REACTION CAN BE MODIFIED TO BE USED IN WATER CONTENT DETERMINATION (IN AN AQUEOUS SYSTEM) CONTAINING AN EXCESS OF SULFUR DIOXIDE.
  • 4.
  • 5.
    TITRATION VESSEL MAGNETIC STIRRER PISTON BURET FOR TITRANT PISTON BURET FOR SOLVENT RESERVOI R FOR SOLVENT RESERVOIR FOR TITRANT GUARD TUBE W/ DESSICANT WASH BOTTLE (CONC. H2SO4) WASHBOTTLE W/ KF REAGENT ELECTROMETRIC INDICATOR CIRCUIT PISTON MOTORS
  • 6.
    KARL FISCHER METHOD:PRINCIPLES IT IS BASED ON THE BUNSEN REACTION BETWEEN IODINE AND SULFUR DIOXIDE IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM. HE USED 10 ALCOHOL (METHANOL) AS A SOLVENT AND A BASE (PYRIDINE) AS BUFFERING AGENT.
  • 7.
    KARL FISCHER REACTION ROH + SO2 + R’N [R’NH]SO3R + H2O + I2 + 2R’N ALCOHOL BASE ALKYLSULFITE SALT WATER IODINE 2[R’NH]I + R[N’H] SO4R HYDROIODIC ACID SALT ALKYLSULFATE SALT
  • 8.
    BUNSEN REACTION: EXPLANATION ALCOHOL REACTS W/ SULFUR DIOXIDE AND A BASE TO FORM AN INERMEDIATE ALKYLSULFITE SALT, W/C IS THEN OXIDIZED BY IODINE TO AN ALKYLSULFATE SALT. THIS OXIDATION REACTION CONSUMES WATER.
  • 9.
    BUNSEN REACTION: EXPLANATION pH RANGE OF THE BUNSEN REACTION TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 5 TO 8. pH LOWER THAN 5 – TITRATION IS SLOW pH LOWER THAN 8 – TITRATION IS FAST
  • 10.
    KARL FISCHER REACTION THE REACTIVE ALCOHOL IS TYPICALLY; 1. METHANOL 2. 2[2-ETHOXYETHOXY] ETHANOL / DIETHYELENE GLYCOL MONOETHYL ETHER / DEGEE 3. OTHER SUITABLE ALCOHOL
  • 11.
    KF METHOD: HOWIT WORKS? 1. WATER AND IODINE ARE CONSUMED AT 1:1 RATIO (IN THE BUNSEN REACTION). 2. ONCE ALL THE WATER PRESENT IS CONSUMED, THE PRESENCE OF EXCESS IODINE IS DETERMINED VOLUMETRICALLY BY THE INDICATOR ELECTRODE OF THE TITRATOR.
  • 12.
    KF METHOD: HOWIT WORKS? 3. THIS SIGNALS THE ENDPOINT OF THE TITRATION. 3. THE AMOUNT OF WATER PRESENT IN THE SAMPLE IS CALCULATED BASED ON THE CONCENTRATION OF IODINE IN THE KF TITRATING AGENT ( TITER), AND THE KF REAGENT CONSUMED IN THE TITRATION.
  • 13.
    KF METHOD: ADVANTAGES HIGH ACCURACY & PRECISION SELECTIVITY FOR WATER SMALL SAMPLE QUANTITIES REQUIRED EASY SAMPLE PREPARATION
  • 14.
    KF METHOD: ADVANTAGES SHORT TIME OF ANALYSIS NEARLY UNLIMITED MEASURING RANGE SUITABILITY FOR ANALYSIS OF ALL FORMS OF SAMPLES
  • 15.
    KF METHOD: ADVANTAGES INDEPENDENCE OF PRESENCE OF OTHER VOLATILES SUITABILITY FOR AUTOMATION
  • 16.
    ADVANTAGE OF KFMETHOD TO LOD METHOD LOSS ON DRYING (LOD) WILL ONLY DETECT ANY VOLATILE SUBSTANCE. KF METHOD IS VERY SPECIFIC FOR WATER DETECTION.
  • 17.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATION:TYPES VOLUMETRIC KFT IODINE IS MECHANICALLY ADDED TO THE SOLVENT CONTAINING THE SAMPLE, BY THE TITRATOR’S BURETTE DURING TITRATION. WATER IS QUANTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF THE VOLUME OF THE KF REAGENT CONSUMED.
  • 18.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATION:TYPES VOLUMETRIC KFT BEST SUITED FOR DETERMINATION OF WATER CONTENT IN THE RANGE OF 100 PPM TO 100%.
  • 19.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATION:TYPES TYPES OF VOLUMETRIC KFT REAGENT SYSTEMS: 1. ONE-COMPONENT VOLUMETRIC KF KNOWN AS COMBITITRANT OR A COMPOSITE IT CONTAINS ALL THE CHEMICALS NEEDED FOR A KF REACTION.
  • 20.
  • 21.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATION:TYPES 2. TWO-COMPONENT VOLUMETRIC KF IT HAS BETTER LONG TERM STABILITY FASTER TITRATION TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE LOWER SOLVENT POWER TITRANT – CONTAINS IODINE & METHANOL SOLVENT – CONTAIN THE OTHER KF COMPONENTS.
  • 22.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATION:TYPES COULOMETRIC KFT IODINE IS GENERATED ELECTROCHEMICALLY “IN SITU” DURING THE TITRATION. WATER IS QUANTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF THE TOTAL CHARGE PASSED, AS MEASURED BY THE CURRENT AND TIME, ACCORDING TO THE FF. RELATIONSHIP;
  • 23.
    COULOMETRIC KFT equation Q = 1 C = 1 A x 1 S where: 1 mg H2O = 10.72 C Q = total charge passed A= ampere C= Coulomb S = second
  • 24.
    VOLUMETRIC KF TITRATOR : PROCEDURES DISPENSES THE TITRATING REAGENT (CONT’NG IODINE) INTO THE CELL, USING THE BURETTE. DETECTS THE ENDPOINT OF THE TITRATION USING THE DOUBLE PLATINUM PIN INDICATOR ELECTRODE. CALCULATES THE END RESULT BASED ON THE VOLUME OF THE KF REAGENT DISPENSED, USING THE ON-BOARD MICROPROCESSOR.
  • 25.
    COULOMETRIC KF TITRATOR: PROCEDURE GENERATES IODINE AT THE ANODE OF THE TITRATION CELL. DETECTS THE ENDPOINT OF THE TITRATION USING THE DOUBLE PLATINUM PIN INDICATOR ELECTRODE. CALCULATES THE END RESULT BASED ON THE CHARGE PASSED (Q) IN COULOMBS, USING THE ON-BOARD MICROPROCESSOR.
  • 26.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATIONSYSTEMS FISHER SCIENTIFIC AUTOMATIC KF TITRIMETER SYSTEM, USA HARVARD LTE TURBOTITRATOR, UK HIRANUMA AQV 5 AQUACOUNTER, JAPAN
  • 27.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATIONSYSTEMS KYOTO, MKS 3P, JAPAN METROHM 633 KF TITRATOR / 658 KF METROPROCESSOR / 701 KF TITRINO, CH MITSUBISHI CA-06, JAPAN METTLER DL 18 KF TITRATOR, CH
  • 28.
    KARL FISCHER TITRATIONSYSTEMS RADIOMETER ETS 850 / MTS 855, DK SCHOTT TR 151 / TR 152 D
  • 29.
  • 30.
  • 31.
    KYOTO and MITSUBISHI KF TITRATORS
  • 32.
    SCHOTT and RADIOMETER KF TITRATORS
  • 33.
    LOSS ON DRYING(LOD) A CLASSIC LABORATORY METHOD OF MEASUREMENT OF HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE IN SOLID OR SEMISOLID MATERIALS. A RELATIVELY SLOW METHOD OF ANALYSIS.
  • 34.
    LOSS ON DRYING(LOD) A SAMPLE OF THE MATERIAL IS WEIGHED, HEATED IN AN OVEN, COOLED IN A DRY ATMOSPHERE OF A DESSICATOR, THEN RE-WEIGHED. IF THE VOLATILE CONTENT OF THE SAMPLE IS PRIMARILY WATER, THE LOD GIVES A GOOD MEASURE OF WATER CONTENT.
  • 35.
  • 36.
  • 37.
  • 38.

Editor's Notes

  • #4 KF METHOD – invented in 1935 by a German Chemist Karl Fischer.
  • #8 ALCOHOL REACTS W/ SULFUR DIOXIDE AND A BASE TO FORM AN INERMEDIATE ALKYLSULFITE SALT, W/C IS THEN OXIDIZED BY IODINE TO AN ALKYLSULFATE SALT. THIS OXIDATION REACTION CONSUMES WATER. pH RANGE OF THE BUNSEN REACTION TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 5 TO 8. pH LOWER THAN 5 – TITRATION IS SLOW pH LOWER THAN 8 – TITRATION IS FAST
  • #20 CONTAINS IODINE, SULFUR DIOXIDE, AND THE BASE DISSOLVED IN SUITABLE ALCOHOL.
  • #24 COULOMETRIC KFT – SUITABLE FOR DETERMINATION OF WATER CONTENT AT A RANGE OF 1 PPM OR 5%. (Electric) Current is in Amperes and Time is in Seconds.
  • #29 Denmark - DK