This method is for determining liquid volume-percent (LV-%)levels of aromatic, olefinic and saturated hydrocarbons by columnchromatography, in distillate fuels having viscosities in the rangeof 1.5 to 5.5 mm2/s (cSt) at 40°C, boiling in the range of 150 to400°C (300 to 750°F). The method is designed for full boiling rangematerials, not narrow cuts. The lower detection limit for ahydrocarbon type is 0.4 LV-%. Hydrocarbons boiling in the kerosenerange (150 to 290°C) are an exception and should be analyzed by UOPMethod 311 or ASTM Test Method D 1319.

The indicated aromatic hydrocarbons can include some diolefins,aromatic olefins, compounds containing sulfur and nitrogen orhigher boiling oxygenated compounds if these are present in thesample being analyzed. Samples that contain dark-colored componentsthat interfere in reading the chromatographic bands cannot beanalyzed.

Additional methods for specific hydrocarbon type analysisinclude: 1) ASTM Test Method D 6591, an HPLC method fordetermination of aromatic hydrocarbon types in middle distillatesboiling in the range from 150 to 400° C (300 to 750° F) and 2) ASTMTest Method D 5186, an SFC method for determination of the aromaticcontent and polynuclear aromatic content of diesel fuels andaviation turbine fuels.