🌿 Acetone in workplace air — gas chromatography: a) with sample enrichment, b) without sample enrichment; in the presence of substances with the same or a similar retention time — a column of different polarity; MAC (NDS) 600 mg/m³, STEL (NDSCh) 1800 mg/m³; PN-Z-04057-01:1979 (withdrawn 07-07-2015)

Environment PN-Z-04057-01

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN catalogue card, in full (our translation): "The subject of the standard is the determination of acetone in workplace air by the methods of: a) gas chromatography with sample enrichment, b) b) gas chromatography without sample enrichment. The methods are used for determining the concentration of acetone vapours in workplace air when checking sanitary and hygienic conditions. In the presence of substances with the same or a similar retention time as acetone, masking the peak of the substance determined on the chromatogram, a column of different polarity should be used, ensuring separation of acetone from the accompanying substances." (the label "b)" is repeated on the card). The card gives neither the limit of quantification nor the method of enrichment. We did not have the text of the standard (4 pages); the CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 lists no article on acetone (searched on 04.10.2026).

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 4: "Acetone [67-64-1]" — NDS 600 mg/m³, NDSCh 1800 mg/m³, no "skin" notation.

STATUS (card as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04057-01:1979 (Polish version) has the heading "Withdrawn": published 29-11-1979, withdrawal date 07-07-2015, 4 pages, price group B, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the Working Environment, ICS 13.040.30; the card does not name a replacing standard. The PKN search for "PN-Z-04057" and "acetonu" (04.10.2026) shows for workplaces only standards labelled "Withdrawn": PN-Z-04057-00:1979 (general provisions and scope of the standard), PN-Z-04057-01:1979, PN-Z-04231-02:1993 (acetone in a mixture from processing of plasticised poly(vinyl chloride), together with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, 2-ethylhexanol and phthalates) and PN-Z-04023-02:1989 (substances from nitrocellulose lacquer products); it returns no current standard for acetone.

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 04057-01 (with a hyphen, full stop or slash before the part number, also with spaces) appears in 7 records at 6 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 04.09.2025 to 18.08.2026 — all issued after the withdrawal of the standard) — 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 is suspended and no document repeats pages. Written forms: "PN-Z-04057-01:1979" — AB 340 and AB 935; "PN-79/Z-04057/01 pkt 1.1.a" — AB 663; "PN-79/Z-04057.01" — AB 622; "PN-79-Z-04057.01" — AB 1642; AB 591 — "PN-79/Z -04057/01 z wył. pkt.2.1.7 i pkt. 2.1.12." (excluding points 2.1.7 and 2.1.12; result per sample) and "PN-79/ Z -04057/01 pkt.2.1.7 i pkt.2.1.12" (points 2.1.7 and 2.1.12; concentration from calculation). The "Laboratories" tab finds entries beginning with the query entered: "PN-Z-04057-01" shows 2 laboratories, "PN-79/Z-04057/01", "PN-79/Z-04057.01", "PN-79-Z-04057.01", "PN-79/Z -04057/01" and "PN-79/ Z -04057/01" — 1 each (the last two are AB 591), 6 in total, the same in the copy and on the production server labcoda.pl (tab queries of 04.10.2026). PN-Z-04231-02 appears in the PCA documents of 2 laboratories.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy). Object: working environment — air, at some laboratories samples collected on sorbent tubes or a solid sorbent. Quantity: concentration (content) of acetone. Ranges in mg/m³: 0.10–2000 (AB 1642), 0.5–800 (AB 935), 0.80–1240.0 (AB 340), 1–1250 (AB 663), 2.6–3600 (AB 591, from calculation), 24–1857 (AB 622). Technique: gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) — all 6 laboratories (at AB 591 no technique is given for the concentration from calculation).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — status: the standard has been withdrawn since 07-07-2015, and the PKN search shows no other standard for acetone; 6 laboratories have it in scopes issued from September 2025 — the client should know that the result is produced according to a standard withdrawn from the PKN catalogue. Second — which of the two methods: the card lists method a) with enrichment and b) without enrichment; AB 663 cites "pkt 1.1.a" (point 1.1.a), and AB 591 excludes points 2.1.7 and 2.1.12 for the result per sample and cites them for the concentration from calculation — what these points contain and whether "1.1.a" means method a), WE DO NOT GIVE without the text of the standard; the other laboratories do not indicate the method. Third — interferences: according to the card, in the presence of substances with the same or a similar retention time a column of different polarity must be used — with solvent mixtures the report should demonstrate separation. Fourth — limit of quantification: the card does not give it, so the bottom limits of the laboratories (from 0.10 mg/m³) cannot be compared with it. Fifth — the NDSCh of 1800 mg/m³ requires a short-term measurement, the conditions of which WE DO NOT GIVE.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the method of sampling and enrichment, the sorbent, the solvent, the columns, the detector required by the standard, chromatograph conditions, the limit of quantification or calculations. We do not claim that another standard has replaced PN-Z-04057-01:1979 — PKN names none.

Method principle

Acetone vapours in workplace air are determined by gas chromatography — according to the card of the standard by method a) with sample enrichment or b) without enrichment; in the presence of substances with the same or a similar retention time a column of different polarity is used. The result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 600 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 1800 mg/m³. The standard is withdrawn (07-07-2015); WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — acetone — in the current scopes of 6 laboratories, despite the withdrawal of the standard
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 600 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 1800 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 4 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04057-01:1979

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Badania zawartości acetonu — Oznaczanie acetonu na stanowiskach pracy metodą chromatografii gazowej

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Tests for acetone content — Determination of acetone at workplaces by gas chromatography

Step-by-step procedure

1. Status

   PN-Z-04057-01:1979 withdrawn on 07-07-2015, with no named successor (card as of 04.10.2026).

2. Choice of method

   Method a) with enrichment or b) without sample enrichment; WE DO NOT GIVE details.

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography; with substances of a similar retention time — a column of different polarity (PKN card).

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 600 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 1800 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447).

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• TECHNICAL NOTE: standard withdrawn on 07-07-2015; the card gives no limit of quantification; with a similar retention time a column of different polarity is required

Frequently asked questions