Fundamentals of Microwave Ashing

The determination of ash content is an important test procedure performed in thousands of laboratories each day for process and quality control purposes. Below are a few basic examples:

Petroleum & Fuels

In the petroleum industry, oil and fractions are ashed for several reasons. The residual ash is analyzed for metals and elements to determine concentration of these elements and how they will affect process operation and damage process equipment.

Catalysts used in petroleum processing are ashed at different service times to determine the extent of fouling and accumulation of byproducts.

Plastics

Generally, plastics are ashed to determine and verify the fill content (i.e. Ti0₂). Plastics manufacturers and compounders use ashing for process and product control processes.

Another use for ashing is to determine catalyst breakdown and transfer into the polymer. Catalysts themselves may be ashed to determine the extent of fouling.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical tablets and products are ashed to determine residual non-organic, indigestible fractions. This is done for regulatory purposes and for process and quality control reasons.

Ashing of pharmaceuticals as a sample prep technique for elemental analysis is also done to a lesser extent.

Food & Feeds

Food products and animal feeds are ashed to determine the indigestible ash content for regulatory reasons. Dog food and animal feeds have limits on the amount of bone meal that can be blended in.

Product/process control in grain milling operations is another application that makes use of ashing.

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