🌿 4-Hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one (diacetone alcohol) in workplace air — adsorption of vapours on activated charcoal, desorption with a solution of isopropanol in carbon disulphide, gas chromatography; lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 24 mg/m³, MAC (NDS) 240 mg/m³; PN-Z-04368:2008

Environment PN-Z-04368

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN catalogue card, in full (our translation): "A method is given consisting in adsorption of 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one vapours on activated charcoal, desorption with a solution of isopropanol in carbon disulphide and analysis of the solution obtained by gas chromatography. The lowest concentration of 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-pentan-2-one that can be determined by this method is 24 mg/m3" (no full stop at the end on the card). We did not have the text of the standard (8 pages). The CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 lists the article "4-Hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one − no. 4(30) 2001" in the quarterly "Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy"; the full text is in the BazTech database, which requires passing a captcha test — we did not read the article and give nothing from it.

NDS VALUE (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 301: "4-Hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one [123-42-2]" — NDS 240 mg/m³, no NDSCh and no "skin" notation. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 24 mg/m³, is 10 % of the NDS.

STATUS (card as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04368:2008 (Polish version) has no "Withdrawn" heading and no "Withdrawal date" row: published 15-05-2008, 8 pages, price group D, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the Working Environment, ICS 13.040.30, "Replaces PN-Z-04084-02:1980". The PKN search for "PN-Z-04368" (04.10.2026) returns only this standard. The replaced PN-Z-04084-02 is not cited by any laboratory in the database copy or in the current PCA documents.

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 04368 appears in 7 records at 6 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 26.01.2026 to 28.07.2026) — in 7 rows at the same laboratories; a search of all PCA documents downloaded from the BIP found no laboratories outside the database copy; no item with this standard is suspended and no document repeats pages. All entries have the form "PN-Z-04368:2008": AB 882 — two items, next to procedure PB-01 edition 5 of 12.01.2026 (GC-FID) and PB-10 edition 1 of 31.08.2022 (GC-MS); AB 1207 — next to procedure PB-06A edition 7 of 20.01.2025. The "Laboratories" tab (query "PN-Z-04368") shows all 6 laboratories — checked with the tab's query on the production server labcoda.pl on 04.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy). Object: working environment — air, samples collected on sorbent tubes (AB 1642 — on a solid sorbent); at AB 1207 the object recorded in the copy also covers, besides the working environment, samples of ambient air and indoor air. Quantity: concentration (content) of 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one (at AB 746 and AB 1642 with the addition "diacetone alcohol"). Ranges in mg/m³: 0.060–1027 (AB 1642), 0.50–1700 (AB 1207, GC-MS), 2.8–278.0 (AB 849), 6.2–480 (AB 746), 10.9–769 (AB 882, GC-MS), 13.5–3366 (AB 882, GC-FID), 24–480 (AB 632). Technique: gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) — 5 laboratories; gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS) — AB 1207 and the second item of AB 882.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — limit of quantification: according to the card the lowest concentration determinable by this method is 24 mg/m³; only AB 632 states this bottom limit, the other laboratories state a lower one (from 0.060 to 13.5 mg/m³), which requires conditions different from those in the standard — the report should name them. Second — isopropanol in the desorption solution: according to the card desorption is done with a solution of isopropanol in carbon disulphide; the card does not say what to do when propan-2-ol is also present in the air tested, and WE DO NOT GIVE this. Third — detector: the GC-MS items (AB 1207 with PB-06A, AB 882 with PB-10) are performed according to in-house procedures, with the standard next to them. Fourth — object: the standard concerns workplaces and the result is referred to the NDS; at AB 1207 the same item also covers ambient and indoor air, for which the NDS is not a reference value.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the volume or flow rate of air sampling, the type of tube and mass of charcoal, the concentration of isopropanol in the desorption solution, the column, the detector required by the standard, chromatograph conditions, desorption efficiency or calculations.

Method principle

4-Hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one vapours from workplace air are adsorbed on activated charcoal, desorbed with a solution of isopropanol in carbon disulphide, and the solution obtained is analysed by gas chromatography; the result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 240 mg/m³. Lowest determinable concentration according to the card — 24 mg/m³. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one (diacetone alcohol) — in the current scopes of 6 laboratories
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 240 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 301 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04368:2008

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Oznaczanie 4-hydroksy-4-metylopentan-2-onu na stanowiskach pracy metodą chromatografii gazowej

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one at workplaces by gas chromatography

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   Adsorption of vapours on activated charcoal; WE DO NOT GIVE details.

2. Desorption

   With a solution of isopropanol in carbon disulphide (PKN card).

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography of the solution obtained; WE DO NOT GIVE conditions.

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 240 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); lowest determinable concentration 24 mg/m³.

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Carbon disulphide in the desorption solution — work in a fume hood, chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: a bottom limit below 24 mg/m³ requires conditions different from those in the standard

Frequently asked questions