Test for Monoethylene Glycol Impurities

A new ASTM International standard will help determine impurities in monoethylene glycol (MEG). ASTM’s committee on aromatic, industrial, specialty, and related chemicals (D16) developed the standard, which will soon be published as D8311.
MEG is used predominantly as a raw material in the production of polyester fibers, but it is also commonly used as a heat transfer fluid and a component in antifreeze.
ASTM International member Yuhong Zhang, senior specialist, Sinopec, notes that the new standard will be suitable for setting product specifications and for use as an internal quality control tool when MEG is produced or used.
“When being used in polyester fiber production, MEG quality is critical and impurities need to be well controlled,” says Zhang.  
MEG manufacturers and downstream polyester consumers will benefit most from the new standard, while third-party laboratories will also be able to use the standard for MEG impurity testing with high efficiency and more accuracy, according to Zhang.
An interlaboratory study for D8311 will be launched over the next five years to update the precision statement for the method. Labs that analyze MEG will be welcome to join in this study.