Automated Thermometric Titrimetry

Minimum operator involvement and high analytical productivity – these are key benefits of automated thermometric titration. The method is ideal for monitoring the quality of fats and oils, namely to determine crucial parameters such as free fatty acid content and iodine value.

Thermometric titration means that there is no electrical contact with titrating solutions, so samples can be titrated in a totally non-aqueous environment. The endpoint is determined automatically, not prone to operator bias and can be detected in highly colored or turbid solutions, or even in media containing suspended solids. Moreover, the thermometric sensing probe requires no maintenance, special preparation, regeneration or calibration and can be stored dry between titrations.

Two determinations common in the analysis of fats and oils illustrate the versatility of the technique, namely the free fatty acid content and the iodine value. In both analyses, excellent agreement can be achieved with results obtained by official methods of analysis. The titrations are very fast, typically less than a minute in duration and can be easily automated by using a sample changer. Application Notes with the details on the determination of free fatty acid content and iodine value in vegetable fats and oils can be downloaded from the Metrohm webpage.