🌿 Ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate (component of "super glue" adhesives) in workplace air — high-performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection (HPLC-UV); lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 0.1 mg/m³ for 12 l of air, MAC (NDS) 1 mg/m³, STEL (NDSCh) 2 mg/m³; PN-Z-04467:2016-10

Environment PN-Z-04467

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "This standard gives a method for determining ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate (CAS no. 7085-85-0) in workplace air using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with spectrophotometric detection. The method is used in the inspection of sanitary and hygienic conditions. The lowest concentration of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate that can be determined under the air sampling and determination conditions described in the standard is 0.1 mg/m3 (for an air sample of 12 l)" (our translation; on the card without a full stop at the end). The card gives neither the sorbent nor the solvent. We did not have the text of the standard (8 pages).

ACCORDING TO THE CIOP PROCEDURE (J. Kowalska, "2-Cyjanoakrylan etylu – metoda oznaczania", Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy 2011, no. 1(67), pp. 73–78 — read in full). A procedure published five years before the standard, with the same technique and the same determinability of 0.1 mg/m³ for 12 l of air; we do not claim that the standard repeats it. In the procedure: tubes with two layers (80 and 40 mg) of XAD-7 resin coated with phosphoric(V) acid; 12 l of air at a flow rate of no more than 6 l/h; the samples are immediately packed in dry ice or — if none is available — both layers are transferred separately to vials with 2 ml of acetonitrile, transported in a cooler and stored in a freezer; desorption with 2 ml of acetonitrile for 30 min (the summary of the procedure speaks of a "mixture of phosphoric acid in acetonitrile", points 3 and 10 of acetonitrile); octadecyl C-18 column 25 cm × 4.6 mm, mobile phase acetonitrile and 0.2 per cent phosphoric(V) acid solution in water, 1 ml/min, DAD detector at 210 nm; the amount in the shorter layer should not exceed 10 % of the amount in the longer one, otherwise the result is indicative; the desorption coefficient is determined for each new batch of tubes. Validation data: range 0.1–2 mg/m³ for 12 l of air, limit of detection 0.9 ng/ml, limit of quantification 2.7 ng/ml, correlation coefficient 0.9997, overall precision 5.64 %, overall uncertainty 19.31 %, expanded 38.62 %. According to the procedure the compound strongly irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract.

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 124: "Ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate [7085-85-0]" — NDS 1 mg/m³, NDSCh 2 mg/m³, no "skin" notation; the neighbouring item 125 — methyl 2-cyanoacrylate, NDS 2 mg/m³, NDSCh 4 mg/m³. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 0.1 mg/m³, is 10 % of the NDS.

STATUS (card as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04467:2016-10 (Polish version) has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Withdrawal date" line: published 19-10-2016, 8 pages, price group D, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the Working Environment, ICS 13.040.30; the card has no "Replaces" field. The PKN search for "PN-Z-04467" (04.10.2026) returns only this standard, and for "cyjanoakrylanu" — this standard and the current PN-Z-04384:2009 for methyl 2-cyanoacrylate.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, data load up to 17.09.2026, read on 04.10.2026). The number 04467 appears in 4 records at 4 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 26.01.2026 to 17.09.2026) — in 4 rows at the same laboratories; a search of all PCA documents downloaded from the BIP found no laboratories outside the database copy; no document repeats pages. The AB 1226 item (issue no. 26 of 17.09.2026) is printed in bold italics — accreditation suspended at the request of the body from 10.06.2026 to 07.12.2026; in the database copy the object has an asterisk next to it. All records have the form "PN-Z-04467:2016-10"; AB 632 — next to instruction IB-17 edition 1 of 09.01.2024. The "Laboratories" tab (search term "PN-Z-04467") shows all 4 laboratories — checked with a tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 04.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy). Object: working environment — air, at AB 632 and AB 849 samples collected on sorbent tubes. Quantity: concentration (content) of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate. Ranges in mg/m³: 0.05–4.01 (AB 882), 0.07–2.58 (AB 849), 0.083–4.1 (AB 632), 0.10–4.0 (AB 1226, suspended); per sample from 0.0006 mg (AB 882). Technique: high-performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection — HPLC-UV (AB 632), HPLC-UV/Vis (AB 849, AB 882), HPLC UV/DAD (AB 1226).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — limit of quantification: according to the card 0.1 mg/m³ for 12 l; AB 1226 gives this limit, AB 882 (0.05), AB 849 (0.07) and AB 632 (0.083) a lower one, which requires conditions different from those in the standard — the report should name them. Second — sample stability: according to the CIOP procedure samples must be cooled immediately with dry ice or desorbed on site; how the standard puts it does not follow from the card — a sample transported without these measures may give an underestimated result. Third — the NDSCh of 2 mg/m³ requires a short-term measurement whose conditions WE DO NOT GIVE. Fourth — other cyanoacrylates: adhesives also contain methyl, isopropyl or 2-methoxyethyl esters (CIOP procedure); methyl 2-cyanoacrylate has a separate NDS item (item 125) and a separate standard PN-Z-04384:2009 — the result concerns only the ethyl ester. Fifth — suspension: the AB 1226 item is suspended until 07.12.2026.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard, and the card gives neither the sorbent nor the solvent — we do not give the volume or flow rate of sampling according to the standard, the sorbent, the desorption solvent, the column, the mobile phase, the wavelength or calculations according to the standard; data from the CIOP procedure are given as data of the procedure. We do not give the column temperature from the procedure — in the available file it is illegible.

Method principle

Ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate in workplace air is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection (PKN card); the result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 1 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 2 mg/m³. Lowest determinable concentration according to the card — 0.1 mg/m³ for 12 l of air. WE DO NOT GIVE details of the standard — we did not have its text; the 2011 CIOP procedure (XAD-7 resin with phosphoric acid, acetonitrile, HPLC/UV) is described separately.

Applications

• Workplace air, among others when bonding with cyanoacrylate adhesives — ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate — in the current scopes of 4 laboratories (one item suspended)
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 1 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 2 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 124 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04467:2016-10

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Oznaczanie 2-cyjanoakrylanu etylu na stanowiskach pracy metodą wysokosprawnej chromatografii cieczowej z detekcją spektrofotometryczną

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate at workplaces by high-performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   According to the card the determinability is given for 12 l of air; in the CIOP procedure — XAD-7 tube with phosphoric acid, ≤ 6 l/h, immediately dry ice or transfer of the layers to acetonitrile.

2. Desorption

   In the CIOP procedure — each layer separately, 2 ml acetonitrile, 30 min; WE DO NOT GIVE the conditions according to the standard.

3. Analysis

   High-performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection (PKN card); in the CIOP procedure — C-18, DAD 210 nm.

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 1 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 2 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); lowest determinable concentration 0.1 mg/m³.

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate — according to the CIOP procedure strongly irritates the eyes and upper respiratory tract; acetonitrile and solutions in an efficient fume hood
• TECHNICAL NOTE: a bottom limit below 0.1 mg/m³ requires conditions different from those in the standard; the AB 1226 item is suspended until 07.12.2026

Frequently asked questions