⚗️ Determination of the aggressive carbon dioxide content in water, i.e. CO2 capable of dissolving lime from concrete — reference method: at the sampling point water is poured into a 0.5 l bottle with 10 g of precipitated calcium carbonate, shaken in the laboratory for at least 2 h, and 100 ml of the clear supernatant and 100 ml of the same water without reaction are titrated with 0.100 M hydrochloric acid to pH 4.3; the volume difference gives the lime dissolving capacity and the aggressive CO2 content in mg/l; not for water with pH below 4.3, PN-EN 13577

Physicochemistry PN-EN 13577

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We read the text of the standard in the iTeh sample of SIST EN 13577:2007 (English text of EN 13577:2007): from the title page through the contents, foreword and Clauses 1–9 to Annex A (test report pro-forma) on page 7. Outside the sample remains the bibliography on page 8.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF EN 13577:2007. The standard was prepared by CEN/TC 104 “Concrete and related products”, whose secretariat is held by DIN; CEN approved it on 08.03.2007, and national implementation was due by October 2007 at the latest. According to the foreword, the standard describes a method for testing water which may be aggressive to hardened concrete, is based on DIN 4030 “Assessment of water, soil and gases for their aggressiveness to concrete” and supersedes no European Standard. Scope (1): a reference method for the determination of carbon dioxide present in water which has a capacity to dissolve lime from concrete; it is not applicable to the measurement of total carbon dioxide in water; if other methods are used, they need to be shown to give equivalent results; the test does not apply to water with a pH less than 4.3; in case of dispute only the reference method is used. Normative references (2): not applicable. Term (3.1): aggressive CO2 — the quantity of carbon dioxide present in water which has a capacity to dissolve lime in concrete. Principle (4): calcium carbonate powder is added to water; after the reaction of aggressive CO2 with calcium carbonate is complete, the water is titrated with acid; the difference in titration compared with a second sample of the same water not subjected to the reaction with calcium carbonate gives the aggressive CO2 content. Apparatus (5.1): balance up to 100 g accurate to 0.1 mg; pH meter (in calibration) or a pH indicator (e.g. methyl orange); magnetic stirrer with thermostatic control; thermometer 0–30 °C with 0.2 °C divisions; 25 ml burette accurate to 0.03 ml; 100 ml pipette accurate to 0.1 ml; sample bottle of at least 1 l; 0.5 l bottle with screw closure; 250 ml beaker; thermally insulated transport boxes when required. Reagents (5.2): precipitated calcium carbonate powder; hydrochloric acid 0.100 M (corrosive — eye protection, avoid inhaling vapour, gloves and protective clothing, in case of contact wash thoroughly with water and seek medical treatment without delay). Preparation (6.1): before sampling, 10 g of calcium carbonate is weighed into the 0.5 l bottle. Sampling (6.2): carbon dioxide is easily lost from water during sampling, transit and storage, so the sample is taken with care not to remove the dissolved gas and tested as soon as possible; the ≥ 1 l bottle is filled with the water to be tested and used to fill slowly the 0.5 l bottle with the carbonate, taking care not to flush out the powder; the bottle is to be completely filled, hermetically sealed and permanently marked by the sampler with the sample number, point of collection, date and time; the remaining water is kept in the ≥ 1 l bottle for the second measurement; the composition of the sample shall not alter in transport, e.g. through temperature change — the temperature change from collection to testing shall not exceed 5 °C, and no more than 48 h shall pass between collection and determination; thermally insulated boxes are used when appropriate. Testing (6.3): after sampling and just before testing the water temperature is measured to 0.2 °C and recorded in the sampling record; the 0.5 l bottle with carbonate is vigorously shaken for at least 2 h; the water temperature shall not deviate by more than 2 °C from that measured at collection — if necessary, the thermostated stirrer is used; an automatic titrator is a permitted alternative; 100 ml of the sample water is titrated with hydrochloric acid to pH 4.3 (volume H1); after the excess carbonate has settled, 100 ml of the clear supernatant is titrated with the acid to pH 4.3 (volume H2); the measurement is repeated (H2) on a second portion of clear supernatant — according to the standard taken from the remaining solution in the sample bottle (5.1.7). Expression of results (7): lime dissolving capacity LDC = 28 (H2 − H1) in mg CaO/l; aggressive CO2 content = LDC × 44/56; the result is the mean of the two determinations, in mg/l, rounded to the nearest whole number. Test report (8): unambiguous identification of the sample, location of the test, date and time of collection, time of testing, sample temperatures (after sampling and just before testing), calculated aggressive CO2 contents and mean, person carrying out the test, deviations from the standard and a declaration of compliance except for the deviations; pro-forma in Annex A (including type of water — ground water, surface water etc., point and depth of collection, pH meter reference number). Precision (9): repeatability standard deviation 0.3 mg/l.

STATUS (as of 03.10.2026). The PKN search (query “PN-EN 13577”, 03.10.2026) shows PN-EN 13577:2008 (Polish version, “Wprowadza: EN 13577:2007 [IDT]”) without a withdrawal note and PN-EN 13577:2007 (English version), withdrawn and replaced by the Polish version; the other results are PN-EN ISO 13577 standards on industrial furnaces. In the iTeh catalogue (read on 03.10.2026) EN 13577:2007 has the status “Published”, stage 90.93 (decision to confirm the standard).

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, load up to 17.09.2026, read on 03.10.2026). The number 13577 appears in 4 records at 4 laboratories: AB 005, AB 213, AB 418, AB 894. In the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026, issues from 18.12.2025 to 17.04.2026) the number appears in 4 rows — one at each; in each of the four documents the number of page markers equals the number of PDF pages, without repetitions; a search of all 1291 PCA documents downloaded from BIP on 03.10.2026 found no laboratories outside the database copy (17 laboratories in the register have no link to a scope document on BIP). Form at all: “PN-EN 13577:2008”. None of these items is suspended. The “Laboratories” tab (query “PN-EN 13577”) shows all 4 laboratories — checked with a tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 03.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (items in PCA). Test object: water (AB 005, AB 213, AB 894), water and wastewater (AB 418). Characteristic: aggressive carbon dioxide concentration. Ranges: (2.2–180) mg/l (AB 005), (2.2–440) mg/l (AB 213), (1–100) mg/l (AB 418), (7.0–100) mg/l (AB 894). Technique: titrimetric method at all.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. At sampling: the calcium carbonate goes into the bottle already at the sampling point, the bottle must be full and sealed, and CO2 is easily lost during sampling, transport and storage (6.1, 6.2). At transport: temperature change at most 5 °C and at most 48 h from collection to determination (6.2). At the reaction: shaking for at least 2 h, temperature within 2 °C of that measured at collection (6.3). At the matrix: not for water with pH below 4.3 and not for total CO2 (1). At the method: it is a reference method — another method requires demonstration of equivalence, and in a dispute only this one decides (1). At the result: mean of two determinations, whole number in mg/l (7.2).

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not read the bibliography. We do not give exposure classes of environments aggressive to concrete or limit values for aggressive CO2.

Method principle

At sampling, the water is sealed in a full, tight bottle with 10 g of calcium carbonate powder, which reacts with the aggressive CO2 during at least 2 h of shaking. After the reaction, 100 ml of the clear supernatant and 100 ml of the same water without carbonate are titrated with 0.100 M hydrochloric acid to pH 4.3. From the volume difference the lime dissolving capacity LDC = 28 (H2 − H1) mg CaO/l is calculated, and from it the aggressive CO2 content = LDC × 44/56 in mg/l.

Applications

• Assessment of water which may be aggressive to hardened concrete — aggressive CO2 capable of dissolving lime (1, foreword)
• Reference method — benchmark for other methods and for settling disputes; not for water with pH < 4.3 or total CO2 (1)
• Water and wastewater — aggressive carbon dioxide concentration — items in the accreditation scopes of 4 laboratories in PCA

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN 13577:2008

Title (PL)

Agresja chemiczna na beton — Oznaczanie zawartości agresywnego dwutlenku węgla w wodzie

Title (EN)

Chemical attack on concrete — Determination of aggressive carbon dioxide content in water

Step-by-step procedure

1. Preparation

   10 g CaCO3 into the 0.5 l bottle before sampling (6.1). PN-EN 13577:2008 without a withdrawal note (03.10.2026).

2. Sampling

   ≥ 1 l bottle, from it slow filling of the carbonate bottle to the brim, tight closure, marking; remaining water for the second measurement; ΔT ≤ 5 °C, ≤ 48 h (6.2).

3. Reaction

   Temperature measured to 0.2 °C, shaking ≥ 2 h within ± 2 °C (6.3).

4. Titration

   100 ml of water without reaction (H1) and 100 ml of clear supernatant over carbonate (H2) to pH 4.3; repeat H2 on a second portion of clear supernatant — according to the standard from the remaining solution in bottle 5.1.7 (6.3).

5. Result

   LDC = 28 (H2 − H1), CO2 = LDC × 44/56; mean of two, mg/l, whole number (7).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Hydrochloric acid is corrosive — eye protection, gloves and protective clothing, avoid inhaling vapour; after contact wash thoroughly with water and seek medical treatment (5.2.2)

Frequently asked questions