🌿 Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, (m+p)-xylene and o-xylene in waste gases (emission) — adsorption of vapours on activated carbon, desorption with carbon disulphide, gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (packed or capillary columns); limit of quantification according to the standard from 2 to 5 µg/m³ with 30-minute sampling; PN-Z-04016-7:1999

Environment PN-Z-04016-7

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "The method consists in the adsorption of vapours of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, (m+p)-xylene and o-oxylene from waste gases on activated carbon, followed by desorption with carbon disulphide and determination of the concentrations of the individual compounds tested by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection using packed or capillary columns. The limit of quantification of the method for the individual compounds is from 2 micrograms/m3 to 5 micrograms/m3 with 30-minute sampling. Guidelines for conducting preliminary tests are given" (our translation; the spelling "o-oksylenu" as on the card, without a full stop at the end). We did not have the text of the standard (13 pages).

STATUS (card as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04016-7:1999 (Polish version) has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Withdrawal date" line: published 15-07-1999, 13 pages, price group G, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 280 Air Quality, ICS 13.040.40; the card has no "Replaces" field. The PKN search for "PN-Z-04016-7" (04.10.2026) returns only this standard. Sheets of this series for workplaces (e.g. PN-Z-04016-5:1998 — ethyltoluene) are described in separate entries of this database.

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 04016-7 appears in 5 records at 2 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues of 26.01.2026 and 08.05.2026) — in 3 rows at the same laboratories (at AB 418 the sampling row also covers emission by calculation, at AB 719 the determination row covers the sum by calculation); 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. The form "PN-Z-04016-7:1999" — AB 418 (in one item next to procedure PB-186), AB 719 — "excluding point 8". The "Laboratories" tab (search term "PN-Z-04016-7") shows both laboratories — checked with a tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 04.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy and PCA documents). Object: waste gases (general environment), samples collected on sorption tubes (AB 719 — with activated carbon). AB 418 — sampling for the determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene by the aspiration method using activated carbon, content and concentration of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (sum of isomers) by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with procedure PB-186, emission by calculation; the copy gives no ranges. AB 719 — content of aromatic hydrocarbons by GC-FID: cumene 0.0020–19.0 mg per sample, styrene 0.0022–19.0, benzene 0.0020–10.0, ethylbenzene 0.0020–19.0, xylene (mixture of isomers) 0.0060–19.0, toluene 0.0020–19.0, trimethylbenzene (mixture of isomers) 0.0021–19.0 mg per sample, and the sum of aromatic hydrocarbons by calculation.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — range of substances: the title and the card name five compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, (m+p)-xylene, o-xylene), while AB 719 also determines cumene, styrene and trimethylbenzenes according to this standard — whether the standard covers them does not follow from the card. Second — xylenes: the standard distinguishes (m+p)-xylene and o-xylene, while both laboratories give xylene as a sum or mixture of isomers. Third — technique: the card describes GC-FID, while AB 418 determines by GC-MS according to its own procedure PB-186. Fourth — object: this is an emission standard (waste gases), so the result is not compared with the NDS for workplaces; the limit of quantification from the card (µg/m³ with 30-minute sampling) concerns emission conditions. Fifth — AB 719 excludes point 8 of the standard, whose content we do not know.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the mass of carbon, the sampling flow rate and volume, the volume of carbon disulphide, the columns, the chromatograph conditions, calculations or the guidelines for preliminary tests; we do not relate the results to any emission limit value.

Method principle

Vapours of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, (m+p)-xylene and o-xylene from waste gases are adsorbed on activated carbon, desorbed with carbon disulphide, and the concentrations of the individual compounds are determined by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection on packed or capillary columns (PKN card). Limit of quantification according to the card — from 2 to 5 µg/m³ with 30-minute sampling. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Waste gases (emission measurements) — benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes — in the current scopes of 2 laboratories; at AB 719 also cumene, styrene and trimethylbenzenes
• Determination of emissions of aromatic hydrocarbons (at both laboratories emission or sum "by calculation"); the standard does not serve to assess exposure at workplaces

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04016-7:1999

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Badania zawartości benzenu i jego homologów z nasyconym łańcuchem bocznym — Oznaczanie benzenu, toluenu, etylobenzenu, (m+p)-ksylenu i o-ksylenu w gazach odlotowych (emisja) metodą chromatografii gazowej

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Tests for benzene and its homologues with saturated side chain — Determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, (m+p)-xylene and o-xylene in waste gases (emission) by gas chromatography

Step-by-step procedure

1. Preliminary tests and sampling

   The card mentions guidelines for preliminary tests; the vapours are adsorbed from waste gases on activated carbon; WE DO NOT GIVE details.

2. Desorption

   With carbon disulphide (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the volume or time.

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection, packed or capillary columns (PKN card).

4. Result

   Concentrations of the individual compounds in waste gases; limit of quantification from 2 to 5 µg/m³ with 30-minute sampling (PKN card).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Benzene and carbon disulphide — chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: emission standard — not for assessing exposure at workplaces; AB 719 also determines compounds outside the title according to it

Frequently asked questions