( Reaffirmed 2003 )

IS : 9234 - 1979

Indian Standard
METHOD FOR PREPARATION OF
SOLID WASTE SAMPLE FOR CHEMICAL
AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Solid Wastes Sectional Committee, CDC 54

Members Rejresenting
ADVISER ( PHE ) Ministry of Works & Housing, New Delhi
SRRI M. ANAND Indian Sugar Mills Association, Calcutta
SHRI S. C. ANAND Rajasthan State Agro Industries Corporation Ltd,
Jaipur
SARIY. K. LUMB ( Alternate )
SHRI F. A. ATTARWALA Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay
SHRI V. B. SHIRODKAR ( Alternate )
SHRI P. K. BANERJEE The Corporation of Calcutta, Calcutta
CHOUDHURY
SHRI B. B. BRALERAO Engineers India Ltd, New Delhi
SHRI A. D. JALQAONKAR ( Alternate )
SHRI R. K. BRAVE Steel Authority of India Ltd, Rourkela Steel
Plant, Rourkela
SHRI T. A. SUBRAMANIAN ( Alternate )
SHRI P. L. BURMAN Indian Paper Mills Association, Calcutta
SHRI T. C. CHANDARAN Kaira District Co-operative Milk Processors
Union Ltd, Anand
DR H. C. GUPTA ( Alternate )
SHRI A. H. GANDHI Municipal Corporation, Ahmadabad
SHRI J. D. GOEL Municipal Corporation of Delhi
SHRI JWALA PRASAD Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation ( Animal
Husbandry Division ), New Delhi
SHRI J. N. MUEHERJEE Steel Authority of India Ltd, Durganur I . Steel
Plant, Durgapur
SIIRI H. C. NANDI Central Fuel Research Institute ( CSIR ),
Dhanbad
SHRI A. RAMA RAO Khadi & Village Industries Commission, Bombay
SHRI S. SUBBA RAO All India Institute of Hygiene
.- and Public Health,
Calcutta
SHRI A. V. RAO ( Alternate )
SHRI B. V. ROTKAR
. Maharashtra Prevention of
Board, Bombay
Water Pollution

SHRI A. G. PANDIT ( Alternate )

( Continued on page 2 )

0 Copyright 1979
INDIAN STANDARDS INSTITUTION
This publication is protected under the Indian Copyright Act ( XIV of 1957 ) and
reproduction in whole or in part by any means except with written permission ofthe
publisher shall be deemed to be an infringement of copyright under the said Act.
IS : 9234 - 1979

( Continuedfrom page 1 >

Members Representing
DR A. ROY Indian Jute Industries Research Association,
Calcutta
SHRI P. K. SAHA Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority,
Calcutta _
SHRI DALJIT SINGH Steel Authority of India Ltd, Bhilai Steel Plant,
Bhilai
SHRI J. C. SEHGAL ( Alternate )
DR S. K. SINRA The Tata Iron and Steel Co Ltd, Jamshedpur
SHRI C. S. SRIDHARAN Indian Council of Agricultural Research,
New Delhi
DR B. B. SUNDARESAN National Environmental Engineering Research
Institute ( CSIR), Nagpur
SHRI A. D. BHIDE ( Blteraate )
SHRI S. VENKATARAMAN King Institute, Madras
DR G M. SAXENA, Director General, ISI ( Ex-oficio Member )
Director ( Chem )

Secretary
SHRI A. K. BARL
Assistant Director ( Chem ), ISI

Panel for Methods of Sampling and Test for Solid Wastes,

CDC54:P4

Members
SHRI J. C. PAUL Steel Authority of India Ltd, Bhilai Steel Plant,
Bhilai
DR A. V. S. PRABRAK~RA RAO Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
SHRIS.C.SHARMA Indian Sugar Mills Association, Calcutta
SHRI C. S. ,SRIDRARAN Indian Council of Agricultural Research,
New Delhi
DR D. C. TAPADAR Indian Paper Mills Association, Calcutta
SHRI A. SATYANARAYANA( Alternate)
SHRI V. P. THERGAONKAR National Environmental Engineering Research
Institute ( CSIR ), Nagpur
SHRI S. K. TITUS ( Alternate )
SHRI S. VENKATARAMAN King Institute, Madras

2
 IS : 9234 - 1979

Indian Standard
METHOD FOR PREPARATION OF
SOLID WASTE SAMPLE FOR CHEMICAL
AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

0. FOREWORD
0.1 This Indian Standard was adopted by the Indian Standards
Institution on 16 July 1979, after the draft finalized by the Solid Wastes
Sectional Committee had been approved by the Chemical Division
Council.

0.2 The term ‘solid waste’ as used in this standard refers to: (a) raw
refuse that is delivered to a processing facility for disposal, (b) residues
of the incineration process, and (c) refuse in various stages of cornposting.
It is assumed that gross pieces of glass, ceramics, metal, plastics, leather
components, etc, have been removed before submission to the laboratory.

0.3 In the preparation of this standard considerable assistance has been

derived from the publication ‘Physical, chemical and microbiological
methods of solid waste testing’ issued by the US Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, USA, 1973.

1. SCOPE

1.1 This standard prescribes a method for preparation of samples of solid

wastes for chemical and microbiological analysis.

2. PREPARATION OF SAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS

2.1 The three basic operations required to prepare the sample for detailed
analysis are drying, grinding or pulverizing, and mixing. The end
products of these operations should be so thoroughly homogenized that
portions weighing 100 to 200 mg may be extracted for analysis. The
procedure for all types of organic materials is essentially similar, if
compost samples have already been coarsely ground either in a hammer-
mill or rasping device. The sample is dried before grinding. After
grinding, it is subjected to mixing in a rotating mixer.

NOTE - When handling refuse, the analyst should use gIoves, if possibIe of
neoprene-coated canvas. He should also wear a face mask, such as a surgical mask,
when preparing samples, especially when they are in finely divided form.
.f’
3
7,
IS : 9234 - 1979

3. DRYING

3.1 A laboratory oven may be used for drying a small sample, and an
industrial oven for a large sample. Weigh a pan, transfer the material
to it and reweigh.. Note the mass of the sample and dry in an oven at
70 to 75°C for 24 hours if the material is combustible, otherwise dry at
105 f 1°C. Remove the sample and allow to cool, preferably in a
desiccator. Weigh, and again place in the oven for 1 to 2 hours. Repeat
the process of heating, cooling and weighing till the difference in mass
between two successive weighings is less than one percent of the total
previous loss in mass. Calculate the moisture content as percentage of
the original mass. However, if microbiological tests are also to be
conducted, drying shall be done at 40 to 50°C.

4. GRINDING

4.1 Waste material may contain glass, ferrous and non-ferrous metals,
plastics, etc. Glass and ceramics may be separated by judicious sieving,
plastics may be hand-picked as they are not degradable and interfere in
the determination of carbon/nitrogen ratio, and ferrous metals may be
removed by a strong magnet. After removal of these, proceed with
grinding using a hammer-mill, grinding mill or pulverizer.

4.1.1 Procedure for Combustibles - Place the sample collection box under
the grinding machine. Plug the lead into the power outlet. Open the
cut-off in the dust collecting system. Oil the grinder bearings with engine
oil. Put on personal safety equipment. Start the motor and feed the
sample into the mill. Turn off grinder motor and turn off the blower.
Clean out the grinder and add this material to the ground sample.

NOTE - It is advisable to wear a transparent plastics face shield while feeding the
material into the grinder. The analyst should not use his hand to help push
material into the grinder past the feed slot. DO not open any grinding device while
it is running. If the grinder clogs, turn off the motor before cleaning the apparatus.

4.1.2 Procedure for Compost - Put a 2-mm sieve into the grinding mill.
Open the cut-off in the dust collection duct. Position the container under
the delivery spout. Replace the 2-mm sieve with a l-mm sieve and
regrind the sample. Brush out all inside surfaces of the mill into a
separate container. Put this material through a micro mill. Add the
product to the main sample.

4.1.3 Procedure for .Non-Combustibles - Adjust the movable pulverizer

plate to give a maximum size of about 2 mm. Put the sample through
the pulverizer. Screen the ground material through 2-mm and 250-micron

4
 lS:9234-1979

sieves. The material passing through 250-micron sieve is the required

sample.

5. MIXING

5.1 The final mixing or homogenization is accomplished by transferring

the sample to a suitable container that is not more than half filled by it.
Close the container tightly, position it in a rotating mixer and allow to
mix for not less than 2 hours. Reduce the mixed sample in size if
desired, by passing it through a sample splitter or by quartering. Weigh
all metal, ceramic, plastics and glass removed during processing.

5
INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS ( SI UNITS )
Base Units
QUANTITY UNIT SYMBOL

Length metre m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second
Electric current ampere A
Thermodynamic kelvin K
temperature
Luminous intensity candela cd
Amount of substance mole mol

SupplemAary Units
QUANTITY UNIT SYMBOL
Plane angle radian rad
Solid angle steradian sr

Derived Units
QUANTITY UNIT SYMBOL DEIPINITION

Force newton N 1N = 1 kg.m/s*

Energy joule J IJ = 1 N.m
Power watt W 1w = 1 J/s
Flux weber Wb 1 Wb - 1 V.s
Flux density tesla T 1T = 1 Wb/ms
Frequency hertz HZ 1 Hz = 1 c/s (s-1)
Electric conductance siemens S 1s = 1 A/V
Electromotive force volt V 1V = 1 W/A
Pressure, stress Pascal Pa 1 Pa = 1 N/m2