Standard Test Methods for Moisture, Ash, and
Organic Matter of Peat and Other Organic Soils

By ASTM D2974C

Scope:

These test methods cover the measurement of moisture content, ash content, and organic matter in peats and other organic soils, such as organic clays, silts, and mucks.

Method A — Moisture is determined by drying a peat or organic soil sample at 105°C. The moisture content is expressed either as a percent of the oven dry mass or of the as-received mass.

Method B — This is an alternative moisture method which removes the total moisture in two steps: (1) evaporation of moisture in air at room temperature (airdrying), and (2) the subsequent oven drying of the air-dried sample at 105°C. This method provides a more stable sample, the air-dried sample, when tests for nitrogen, pH, cation exchange, and the like are to be made.

Methods C and D — Ash content of a peat or organic soil sample is determined by igniting the oven-dried sample from the moisture content determination in a muffle furnace at 440°C (Method C) or 750°C (Method D). The substance remaining after ignition is the ash. The ash content is expressed as a percentage of the mass of the oven-dried sample.

-ASTM D2974-00, Standard Test Methods for Moisture, Ash, and Organic Matter of Peat and Other Organic Soils, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2000

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