The ubiquity of ASTM D95 is largely due to its versatility and reliability. It is applicable to a wide range of materials, including crude oil, fuel oils, lubricating greases, and even tars and bituminous materials. Unlike other methods, such as the Karl Fischer titration (ASTM D6304), which relies on chemical reagents and can be sensitive to interfering substances, the distillation method is robust and mechanical. It provides a direct visual confirmation of water volume, making it less susceptible to certain chemical interferences that might skew results in titration methods. This makes D95 particularly valuable for field operations and in scenarios where the chemical matrix of the sample is complex or unknown.
ASTM D95 is the globally recognized standard for determining the water content in petroleum products, tars, and bituminous materials. Specifically known as the , it is a foundational protocol for oil refining, trade, and quality control. Overview of ASTM D95 Astm D95 Pdf