Check bead moisture content (MC) or bead capacity

  1. Weigh 3 samples of 50-100 grams/each of cooled reactivated beads.
  2. Soak the beads in excess volume of water for 2-3 min.
  3. Wipe excess surface water over paper or cloth towel.
  4. Incubate the wet beads in porous bags over excess quantity of reactivated beads or silica gel inside moisture proof container for 24 h.
  5. Weigh the beads again to find out the % change in weight (i.e., calculated percentage value – 100 or use the equation below) over bead or silica gel. The value over silica gel bath closely approximates bead capacity. If incubated over beads, add 20% more to the bead capacity over bead bath.
  6.  Use this percentage in the excel tool in cell S/T5  either “Beads needed-common names” or “Beads needed-Botanical names” sheets.

 

Drying beads water-holding capacity (%)  

DBCapEq