🌿 Acrylonitrile in workplace air — gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID); lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 0.1 mg/m³ (24 l of air), MAC (NDS) 1 mg/m³, STEL (NDSCh) 3 mg/m³, "skin" notation; PN-Z-04556:2024-09

Environment PN-Z-04556

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "This standard gives a method for determining acrylonitrile (CAS no.: 107-13-1) in workplace air using gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection. The method is used in the inspection of sanitary and hygienic conditions. The lowest acrylonitrile concentration that can be determined under the air sampling and determination conditions described in the standard is 0.1 mg/m³ (for an air sample volume of 24 l)." (our translation). We did not have the text of the standard (8 pages). The CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 lists "Acrylonitrile – no. 3(25) 2000"; we did not read the article and give nothing from it.

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 16: "Acrylonitrile [107-13-1]" with footnote 7 — NDS 1 mg/m³ (0.45 ppm), NDSCh 3 mg/m³ (1.4 ppm), "skin" notation; footnote 7: "The substance may have a sensitising effect on the skin". The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 0.1 mg/m³, is 10 % of the NDS.

STATUS (cards as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04556:2024-09 (Polish version) does not have the heading "Withdrawn": published 26-09-2024, 8 pages, price group D, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the Working Environment, ICS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-04113-12:2005". The card of the predecessor PN-Z-04113-12:2005 ("… Tests for acrylic compounds content -- Part 12: Determination of acrylonitrile at workplaces by gas chromatography") has the heading "Withdrawn and replaced by PN-Z-04556:2024-09": published 08-06-2005, withdrawal date 26-09-2024 (the publication day of the new standard); it replaced PN-Z-04113-04:1980; its scope in full: "A method is given consisting of adsorption of acrylonitrile vapour on activated carbon, desorption of the compound with a solution of acetone in carbon disulfide and analysis of the resulting solution by gas chromatography. The lowest acrylonitrile concentration that can be determined by this method is 0.25 mg/m3" (our translation). The PKN search for "akrylonitrylu" (04.10.2026) shows only PN-Z-04556:2024-09 as current; sheets 03:1979 (colorimetry), 04:1980, 07:1988 (visible-light spectrophotometry), 10:1990 (premises intended for permanent human occupancy) and 12:2005 of the PN-Z-04113 series are labelled "Withdrawn".

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 04556 appears in 5 records at 5 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 04.09.2025 to 02.07.2026) — in 5 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. All entries have the form "PN-Z-04556:2024-09"; AB 632 — together with instruction IB-16 issue 1 of 09.01.2026, AB 1207 — together with procedure PB-06I issue 8 of 5.01.2026. The "Laboratories" tab (query "PN-Z-04556") shows all 5 laboratories — checked with a tab query on the production server labcoda.pl on 04.10.2026. REPLACED STANDARD: PN-Z-04113-12:2005 appears in the database copy in 3 records at 2 other laboratories (3 rows in PCA): AB 882 — two items (GC-FID with PB-01 issue 5 of 12.01.2026, 0.20–39.0 mg/m³; GC-MS with PB-10 issue 1 of 31.08.2022, 0.19–71 mg/m³) and AB 1642 (GC-FID, 0.050–500 mg/m³); no laboratory cites both standards. Sheet PN-Z-04113-04:1980 is cited by nobody.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy). Object: working environment — air, at some laboratories samples collected on sorbent tubes or solid sorbent; at AB 1207 the object recorded in the copy covers, besides the working environment, also samples of ambient and indoor air. Quantity: concentration (content) of acrylonitrile. Ranges in mg/m³: 0.03–50 (AB 1207, GC-MS), 0.04–42 (AB 935), 0.083–4.17 (AB 632), 0.0930–27.0 (AB 1144), 0.13–35.56 (AB 1168); 4 laboratories also give the range in ppm. Technique: GC-FID — 4 laboratories; AB 1207 — gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS) according to procedure PB-06I.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — which standard: a result "according to the acrylonitrile standard" may come from PN-Z-04556:2024-09 (5 laboratories) or from the replaced PN-Z-04113-12:2005 (AB 882, AB 1642), whose card describes desorption with a solution of acetone in carbon disulfide and a determinability of 0.25 mg/m³; the report should cite the standard actually applied. Second — limit of quantification: according to the card of the new standard 0.1 mg/m³ for 24 l; AB 1207 (0.03), AB 935 (0.04), AB 632 (0.083) and AB 1144 (0.0930) give a lower bottom limit, which requires conditions different from those in the standard, AB 1168 a higher one (0.13). Third — detector: AB 1207 uses GC-MS according to an in-house procedure, with the GC-FID standard alongside. Fourth — skin and sensitisation: a measurement in air covers neither absorption through the skin nor the sensitising effect. Fifth — object: at AB 1207 the same item 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 either standard — we do not give the sorbent and solvent according to the 2024 standard, the air sampling flow rate, the column, chromatograph conditions or calculations. We do not claim how the 2024 method differs from the 2005 method beyond what the cards say (determinability 0.1 versus 0.25 mg/m³).

Method principle

Acrylonitrile from workplace air is determined by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (PKN card); the result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 1 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 3 mg/m³. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card is 0.1 mg/m³ for 24 l of air. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard; according to its card, the replaced PN-Z-04113-12:2005 described activated carbon and desorption with a solution of acetone in carbon disulfide.

Applications

• Workplace air — acrylonitrile — in the current scopes of 5 laboratories; the replaced PN-Z-04113-12:2005 — at 2 others
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 1 mg/m³ (0.45 ppm) and the NDSCh of 3 mg/m³ (1.4 ppm), "skin" notation (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 16 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04556:2024-09

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Oznaczanie akrylonitrylu na stanowiskach pracy metodą chromatografii gazowej z detekcją płomieniowo-jonizacyjną

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of acrylonitrile at workplaces by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   According to the card the determinability is given for 24 l of air; WE DO NOT GIVE the sorbent or flow rate.

2. Desorption

   WE DO NOT GIVE the solvent according to the 2024 standard (the 2005 standard according to its card — a solution of acetone in carbon disulfide).

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE conditions.

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 1 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 3 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); lowest determinable concentration 0.1 mg/m³.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Acrylonitrile — "skin" notation and possible skin sensitisation (footnote 7 of the list); chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: a bottom limit below 0.1 mg/m³ requires conditions different from those in the standard; the replaced PN-Z-04113-12:2005 is still in 2 scopes

Frequently asked questions