ASTM D1500 - Color of Petroleum Products (ASTM Color Scale)

Significance and Use

4.1 Determination of the color of petroleum products is used mainly for manufacturing control purposes and is an important quality characteristic, since color is readily observed by the user of the product. In some cases, the color may serve as an indication of the degree of refinement of the material. When the color range of a particular product is known, a variation outside the established range may indicate possible contamination with another product. However, color is not always a reliable guide to product quality and should not be used indiscriminately in product specifications.

1. Scope

1.1 This test method covers the visual determination of the color of a wide variety of petroleum products, such as lubricating oils, heating oils, diesel fuel oils, and petroleum waxes.

NOTE 1: Test Method D156 is applicable to refined products that have an ASTM color lighter than 0.5.

1.2 This test method reports results specific to the test method and recorded as “ASTM Color.”

Extracted, with permission, from ASTM D1500-12 - Color of Petroleum Products, copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428. A copy of the complete standard may be purchased from ASTM International, astm.org