Determination of MONG in place of organic residue for glycerine analysis

Abstract

Analyses of hydrolyser and soap lye crude glycerines for the known constituents show a number of anomalous results. The errors are generally positive and occur chiefly in soap lye crude: they are attributed to the overestimation of organic residue which results from the tendency of the high ash content to promote formation of polyglycerol, which is retained, possibly with some glycerol in the residue. Occasional negative errors are probably due to the presence of unknown volatile contaminants.

It is suggested that the determination of organic residue, which is cumbersome and unreliable, should be replaced by the calculated value of MONG (Matter Organic Non-Glycerol), which is defined as 100 less the sum of the percentages of glycerol, ash and water. In the experience of refineries in the U.K., where these latter determinations are standard practice, MONG gives more reliable information than the organic residue determination and with less effort.