ethanol drop method the specific test protocol for which is delineated below first ethanol standards were made for use in the med minimum ethanol drop test through the production of 1m 2m 3m and 4m solutions of ethanol using absolute 200 proof ethanol a 15 mm petri dish with one eighth of an inch of the test sand was used for the med test ten drops of distilled water were placed on top of the test sand and a stopwatch was used to record the penetration time after five minutes the drops were removed ten drops of the one molar ethanol were then placed on the sand and timed an average of two minutes and 10 seconds ten drops of the two molar ethanol were then tested in the same manner an average of nine seconds this test required that the drops that last an average of ten seconds be given the numerical value of the molar solution tested thus the produced novel synthetic hydrophobic sand formulation exhibited a med for 2m ethanol of at least 9 seconds soil additive formulations were then produced for measurement in terms of humic acid removal from this test novel synthetic hydrophobic sand all percentages listed below are by weight of the entire formulation 432 grams of distilled water 100 grams of sebacic acid available from arizona chemical and 112 grams.