Summary. A technical data sheet (TDS) lists the limits a product must meet; a Certificate of Analysis (COA) lists what one batch actually measured; the safety data sheet (SDS) covers hazards. For glacial acetic acid the SPC TDS (SPC-TDS-ACD-001) has 15 lines, led by acetic acid content of 99.85% w/w minimum. To check a batch, compare every COA value with the matching limit, in the same unit, on the same batch number.
Buyers of glacial acetic acid often receive three documents and use none of them well. The table on the product page can look like a wall of numbers, yet each line answers a practical question: is the acid strong enough, is it dry, will it stay liquid, will it discolour my product, will trace metals harm my process. This guide explains the 15 lines on the data sheet, which is based on the manufacturer's Certificate of Analysis cross-checked against IS 695 : 2020 (the manufacturer's figure wins where they differ). The limits below are the data sheet limits. The explanations of why each matters are general chemistry, not additional SPC specifications, and this guide does not quote any IS 695 limit that is not on the data sheet.
Three documents, three jobs
| Document | What it contains | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data sheet | Grade, specification limits, pack, maker basis | Decide whether the grade can suit your process |
| Certificate of Analysis | Measured values for one batch | Release or reject the delivery you received |
| Safety data sheet | Hazards, handling, first aid, transport | Set up storage, PPE, emergency response and shipping paperwork |
A batch Certificate of Analysis is supplied with every delivery of SPC acetic acid. It is the figure that governs the batch in your hands; the data sheet is the set of limits the batch should meet.
The 15 lines, one at a time
| Line | Limit (TDS) | Why it matters (general knowledge) |
|---|---|---|
| Acetic acid content | 99.85% w/w min | The headline assay. It tells you how much of the liquid is acetic acid; the rest is water and trace impurities. |
| Water | 0.15% w/w max | Water is the main diluent in glacial acid and moves assay, freezing point and reactivity. It matters most in moisture-sensitive synthesis. |
| Crystallization point | 16.35 C min | A quick physical check of purity. Lower values suggest water or other impurities; it also tells you when the acid will freeze in a cool store. |
| Relative density at 27/27 C | 1.0496 max | A bulk check on concentration; read it together with its stated temperature and do not confuse it with a typical density at 20 C. |
| Solubility in water | Completely miscible | Confirms there is no hazy or separated phase on dilution. |
| Colour, Hazen | 10 max | Measures yellowing. Matters where colour must be preserved in downstream products. |
| Formic acid | 0.05% w/w max | A common by-product carboxylic acid that can interfere in sensitive reactions. |
| Aldehyde as acetaldehyde | 0.05% w/w max | Aldehydes are reactive and can cause colour and odour problems downstream. |
| Oxidizable impurities | 2.0 min (unit: min) | Shown exactly as printed on the TDS. In standard permanganate-type tests the result is normally a time in minutes; confirm the unit and method on the batch COA. |
| Iron as Fe | 1.0 ppm max | Iron can catalyse unwanted reactions and stain textiles and polymers. |
| Heavy metals as Pb | 2.0 ppm max | A broad control on toxic metal contamination. |
| Arsenic as As | 2.0 ppm max | A specific toxic-element limit. |
| Chloride as Cl | 1.0 ppm max | Chloride can matter for corrosion of stainless steel and for some catalysts. |
| Sulphate as SO4 | 1.0 ppm max | An inorganic salt indicator that can point to process carry-over. |
| Residue on evaporation | 0.005% w/w max | The non-volatile residue left after evaporating the acid; a sum of dissolved solids. |
How to compare a batch COA with the TDS
- Match the batch number on the COA with the batch number on the container label and the delivery note.
- Check identity first. The COA should name the product as glacial acetic acid and carry CAS 64-19-7. If it names another grade, stop and ask.
- Go line by line. For each parameter on the data sheet, find the COA result and check that it falls inside the limit. Minimums (acetic acid content, crystallization point) must be at or above the figure; maximums must be at or below. For the oxidizable impurities line, first confirm the unit and method the COA uses.
- Check units and conditions. Percent w/w is not percent v/v, ppm is not percent, and a density at 20 C is not a relative density at 27/27 C. A mismatch in unit or condition is a reason to ask, not to assume.
- Look at the number of decimals. A COA reporting 99.9 where the TDS says 99.85 minimum is inside the limit; a COA that gives only a pass with no figure tells you less than you need.
- Compare against a previous COA (general knowledge). Natural batch variation produces slightly different numbers every time. A COA whose every figure is identical to an older one, with only the date changed, deserves a question to the supplier.
What if a COA shows only pass or conforms?
General knowledge: a COA that prints a verdict without a number cannot be checked against a limit, so it supports less than a COA with measured values. Ask for the measured result for each line on the data sheet, the unit, and the test method or standard the result refers to. For SPC acetic acid, the data sheet records the grade as IS 695 : 2020 Pure Grade, so a reasonable question is which edition and method the COA follows. Asking is routine and not a sign of distrust: auditors in regulated industries commonly ask for the same detail.
It also helps to agree in advance which lines matter for your process. A textile or polymer user may care most about colour, iron and chloride; a user with moisture-sensitive synthesis may care most about water and crystallization point. Telling us your priorities when you enquire lets us point you to the right lines, and the batch COA that arrives with delivery is the document to check them against.
How do TDS lines, COA lines and the standard fit together?
The data sheet is based on the manufacturer's COA, cross-checked against IS 695 : 2020, with the manufacturer's figure used where the two differ. That means the TDS is a statement of the specification basis, the standard is the reference it is checked against, and the batch COA is the measured evidence for one delivery. This guide does not reproduce the standard's own limit table: the standard is a licensed document, and the only limits quoted here are those printed on the SPC data sheet. If you need to confirm a point against the standard itself, obtain the current edition from the issuing body.
What a COA cannot tell you
A COA reports tests on one batch; it does not make a grade suitable for a purpose. The documented grade here is the IS 695 : 2020 Pure Grade, for industrial and professional use, and the data sheet states plainly that it is not a food-grade material. If your process or customer requires a food or pharmacopoeial acetic acid, that requirement needs matching grade documentation, and this COA cannot substitute for it. Tell us the standard you need when you enquire and we will confirm what can be supplied.
Common reading mistakes
- Merging two densities. Typical density of 1.049 g/cm3 at 20 C and the data sheet limit of relative density 1.0496 maximum at 27/27 C are different statements.
- Confusing melting point and crystallization point. The melting point of the pure substance is 16.6 C; 16.35 C minimum is the specification limit a batch must meet.
- Treating a limit as a typical value. The data sheet gives limits, not averages. The COA shows where your batch actually sits against each limit.
- Reading the maker's credentials as the distributor's. The ISO certifications and BIS licence on the data sheet belong to the manufacturer on which the sheet is based, GNFC, Bharuch.
Next steps
See the full table, documents and enquiry route on the glacial acetic acid product page. For handling and dilution, read how to thaw, dilute and handle glacial acetic acid safely. For industry context see acetic acid industrial uses. Send your grade, pack, quantity and delivery location to Sanketh on +91 86087 80096; we quote within 4 working hours.