Variables related to sugar and acidity were evaluated, such as total soluble solids ([degrees]Brix) determined by an Abbe refractometer (American Optical Corporation), with temperature correction; density (g m[L.sup.-1]), by a Paardensimeter, with temperature correction as well; titratable acidity (meq [L.sup.-1]), by titration; and pH, by a Corning pHmeter (RIBEREAU-GAYON et al., 1982).

Instrumentation: Rheometer, viscometer, testers; fatigue, dynamic, flex-cracking, ozone chamber, aging oven, tire plunger, air permeability, oil bath, carbon black dispersion, electronic tensile, tensile strength, abrasion resistance; electronicdensimeter, tire cutting machine, constant temperature and humidity chamber

This was supplemented by a custom-developed LabVIEW utility that was adapted from the automated vibrating-tubedensimeter [71] to control and schedule the pressures to be generated by the high-pressure syringe pump.

Soil analysis presented the following values: clay (densimeter) 500g [kg.sup.-1]; organic matter (Walkley-Black) 35g [kg.sup.-1]; pH (water 1: 1) 4.0; P (Mehlich-1) 3.7mg [dm.sup.-3]; K (Mehlich-1) 92.0mg [dm.sup.-3]; Cu (Mehlich-1) 2.9mg [dm.sup.-3]; Zn (Mehlich-1) 3.3mg [dm.sup.-3]; base saturation 9.0%; and aluminum saturation 60.5%.

For the physical characterization, the granulometry and water dispersed clay (WDC) were determined in the air dried soil using the thedensimeter method, which measures bulk density and particle density (EMBRAPA, 1997) (Table 1).

The densities of the solutions were determined at 25[degrees]C in a vibratorydensimeter (precision of 0.001 kg [m.sup.-3], model DMA 4500M, Anton-Paar, Graz, Austria).

The specific mass tests at 20[degrees]C were performed using the Incoterm branddensimeter, with a graduated rod ranging from 0.800 to 0.900 g/[cm.sup.3].

The density of the solutions was measured using an INCOTERM--OM--5565densimeter.

The best known methods are polarimetry [5-7], refractometry [8, 9], and those usingdensimeter.

The density, kinematic viscosity, and surface tension of blends are tested by thedensimeter, viscometer, and surface tension meter, respectively.