Moisture content affects the processibility, shelf-life, usability and quality of a product. Accurate moisture content determination therefore plays a key role in ensuring quality in many industries including Food, Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals. Furthermore, the maximum permissible moisture content in certain products may be governed by legislation (e.g. national food regulations).

Typically, moisture content is determined via a thermogravimetric approach, i.e. by loss on drying, in which the sample is heated and the weight loss due to evaporation of moisture is recorded. Commonly used moisture analysis technologies are the moisture analyzer and the drying oven in combination with a balance.

Learn how the two technologies and how METTLER TOLEDO solutions help you to achieve accurate moisture results regardless of the analysis method you use.

Using a moisture analyzer or a drying oven with a balance are both common methods for determining moisture content via loss on drying. The table below compares the two methods and provides an overview of the most important characteristics.

METTLER TOLEDO offers moisture content determination solutions for both the moisture analyzer and the drying oven analysis techniques: Easy-to-use solutions address the most common challenges to ensure you achieve accurate results regardless of which analysis method you use. However, careful consideration must be given to select the technology which is best suited to your needs and application requirements.

Moisture Analyzer

• Fast results
• Simple operation
• Minimized errors
• Alternative to official method

Drying Oven with Balance

• Official method
• No time pressure
• Multiple samples
• Very inhomogeneous samples

Determining moisture is a crucial step in ensuring quality of many products. Therefore, do not hesitate to ask for an advice! Our Expert Team is there to help you, whether you are looking to purchase a balance or a moisture analyzer, or struggle with moisture determination application. Contact our Expert Team and receive assistance you require.

METTLER TOLEDO moisture analyzers enable fast, precise and reliable moisture analysis for quality control and in-process control applications. Robust and easy-to-use, these instruments offer long, reliable operation whether you work in a highly regulated pharmaceutical lab, need the highest resolution to measure moisture content in plastics, or take moisture measurements for food product quality control.

Watch the video to learn more about moisture content determination with moisture analyzers.

Workflow:

Our guide to moisture analysis provides information about the key points which are important for working with moisture analyzers and helps you to quickly, reliably and effortlessly determine moisture content.

Moisture analysis using a drying oven requires the use of an analytical balance with typically 0.1 mg readability (0.0001 g). The main advantages of this method are that it is the official method mentioned in standards (reference method) and that multiple samples can be analyzed at the same time.

As this procedure involves a lot of manual processes, the use of an intelligent balance with a built-in differential weighing application significantly reduces the risk of errors, such as those generated through incorrect handling, calculations or documentation. In addition to providing high weighing performance, METTLER TOLEDO analytical balances simplify the moisture analysis procedure with graphical user guidance, barcode scanning of sample IDs and automatic calculations and documentation.

Workflow:

When your moisture analysis application requires a high level of process security and data integrity, LabX laboratory software in conjunction with a METTLER TOLEDO Excellence analytical balance is the perfect solution. The loss on drying method is customized according to your precise needs and SOP requirements. When the application is run, LabX provides step by step user guidance on the balance. Each step requires verification by the user so you can be sure your SOP is followed precisely. You benefit from fully tracked samples, automatic data handling, customized reports and increased productivity.

Karl Fischer Titration

If you want to analyze specifically the water content of a sample, then Karl Fischer titration is the method of choice:

-       Volumetric KF titrators determine water content from 100ppm up to 100%.

-       Coulometric KF Titrators are suitable for samples with water content from 1ppm up to 5%.

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) is used to quantify the composition of any substance from room temperature up to 1600 °C. METTLER TOLEDO offers a variety of high performance TGA solutions, including a sample robot for reliable, unattended operation which can be used in a wide variety of applications.