Finding the Active Ingredient and Product Density on a Label

This article provides an information on how and where to find the active ingredient and product density on a label. 

A New Application flow is divided into three sections: 

1. How It Works
2. Active Ingredient
3. Product Density

How It Works

The Active Ingredient Percentage and Product Density section of a Custom Product is required for running the Total Active Ingredient Applied report in the Reports section of Crop IQ. This information allows the Highland Hub to calculate the exact amount of each active ingredient applied in each Completed Spray Record.

Note: If you do not anticipate using this report, this section may be skipped when creating Custom Products, but you will not be able to run the Active Ingredient report on these products until these fields have values.

Active Ingredient

An active ingredient directly contributes to the product’s efficacy claims, while inert ingredients impact the stability and usability of the product.

For example, the active ingredient(s) present in a fertilizer, like nitrogen and potassium, directly contribute to providing crops with these nutrients. Inert ingredients present in a fertilizer may include a surfactant that aids in leaf penetration.

Pictured above: On the fertilizer label, active ingredients are highlighted in yellow, while inert ingredients are highlighted in blue.



Pictured above: On the adjuvant label, active ingredients are highlighted in yellow, while inert ingredients are highlighted in blue.

Most fertilizer labels will specify the percentages of the active ingredient(s) included in the product within the “Guaranteed Analysis” portion of the product label, while most adjuvant labels specify this information within the “Principal Functioning Agents” portion of the product label. Though the phrasing of this information varies by product, you will be looking for the area of the product label that specifies the active ingredient(s) percentage(s), as it represents the availability of these ingredient(s) within the formulated product. Below are some examples of the active ingredient percentages within a given product.

Referencing the fertilizer below, the corresponding active ingredient percentages are:

Nitrogen: 10%

Phosphorus (P2O5): 20%

Soluble Potash: 5%

Sulfur: 1%

Zinc: 0.43%

Pictured above: In the "Guaranteed Analysis" on the fertilizer label, the corresponding active ingredients percentages are highlighted in yellow. 

Referencing the adjuvant below, the corresponding active ingredient percentage is:

Sodium Polycarboxylate, Propane Triols, Glucose-Palm Oil Conjugate: 34.7%

Pictured above: On the adjuvant label, the corresponding active ingredients is highlighted in yellow. 

In Custom Products, the product’s active ingredient percentage(s) should be entered as they are listed on the product label. For example, if the label reads 15% Phosphorus in the product, you will enter “15” for the Phosphorus active ingredient.

Pictured above: Values in Custom Products to enter your percentages of active ingredients.

Product Density

Product density entry is ONLY required for liquid products. This is because density is mass per volume.

If you’re unsure whether your product is a dry/solid or a liquid, then refer to the following areas for clarification:

Product label:

The recommended application guidelines should include product use rates per application. The first unit of measure specified in the product label application guidelines/recommendations indicate if the product is solid or liquid.


Pictured above: On the label for a solid product, the units of measure in lbs. are highlighted in yellow. 

Pictured above: On the label for a liquid product, the units of measure in quarts are highlighted in yellow. 

Section 9 of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS):

Pictured above: In section 9 on the SDS label for a solid product, the density is highlighted in yellow. 

Pictured above: In section 9 on the SDS label for a liquid product, the density is highlighted in yellow. 

To determine the product density for a liquid product, refer to the following areas:

Product label
It isn’t standard or required for the manufacturer to provide the product’s density on the product label. Thus, the inclusion of this information and the verbiage used will vary by product. Below are some examples where the density is specified on the fertilizer product label:

.     
Pictured above: On these fertilizer labels, the locations of the product densities are highlighted in yellow.

Section 9 of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Although the verbiage used to represent the product density will vary by product, below are some examples where the density is specified in section 9 of the SDS:

Pictured above: In section 9 on the SDS label for a fertilizer label, the location of the product densities are highlighted in yellow.

Pictured above: In section 9 on the SDS label for a adjuvant label, the location of the product densities are highlighted in yellow.

It’s not uncommon for the manufacturer to incorrectly list the specific gravity as the product density, and vice versa. How do I differentiate between the 2 when this is the case?

Note to remember: Density = mass per volume

You will always see a unit of measure combination of mass per volume included within the listed figure. Ex: 1.45 g/mL

Specific gravity EXCLUDES units entirely & instead only lists numerical values.

Pictured above: This is an example where the product's Specific Gravity is incorrectly being listed as the Density.

Pictured above: This is an example where the Density & Specific Gravity figures are appropriately listed.

Sometimes the product density will be listed as a range of values rather than a single value. When this is the case, then the midpoint of this range must be determined before reflecting this information in your Custom Product.

To determine the midpoint of the listed range, add the low end with the high end & divide the sum by two.
Please refer to the image below for the following example.

The midpoint of the listed product density below is 1.21 g/mL

THE MATH:

1.190 + 1.230 = 2.42 g/mL

2.42 g/mL divided by 2 = 1.21 g/mL

Pictured above: This is an example of the midpoint range, to determine this add the low end with the high end & divide the sum by two.

In Custom Products, the product’s density should be entered as listed on the product label or as calculated from the above examples. For example, if the density is 1.21 g/mL, you will enter “1.21” in the Density field, “g” in the first UOM field, and “mL” in the second UOM field.

Pictured above: Density and Unit of Measure values in Custom Products.

If you need help identifying your product’s active ingredient percentage(s) or product density, please contact your account manager or (863) 844-4263.