🌿 Chlorobenzene in workplace air — gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID); lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 2.3 mg/m³, MAC (NDS) 23 mg/m³, STEL (NDSCh) 70 mg/m³; PN-Z-04537:2022-03

Environment PN-Z-04537

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "This standard gives a method for determining chlorobenzene (CAS no.: 108-90-7) in workplace air using gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection. The method is used in the inspection of sanitary and hygienic conditions. The lowest concentration of chlorobenzene that can be determined under the air sampling and determination conditions described in the standard is 2.3 mg/m3" (our translation; on the card without a full stop at the end). The card gives neither the sorbent nor the solvent. We did not have the text of the standard (8 pages); the CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 lists no article on chlorobenzene (searched on 04.10.2026 — it lists only dichlorobenzene).

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 96: "Chlorobenzene [108-90-7]" — NDS 23 mg/m³, NDSCh 70 mg/m³, no "skin" notation. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 2.3 mg/m³, is 10 % of the NDS.

STATUS (cards as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04537:2022-03 (Polish version) does not have the heading "Withdrawn": published 07-03-2022, 8 pages, price group D, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the Working Environment, ICS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-04022-3:2001". The card of the predecessor PN-Z-04022-3:2001 ("… Tests for chlorobenzene content -- Determination of chlorobenzene at workplaces by gas chromatography") has the heading "Withdrawn and replaced by PN-Z-04537:2022-03": published 13-06-2001, withdrawal date 07-03-2022 (the publication day of the new standard), 5 pages, it replaced PN-Z-04082:1969; its scope in full: "A method is given consisting in the adsorption of chlorobenzene vapours on activated carbon, desorption with carbon disulphide and analysis of the solution obtained by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection. The lowest concentration of chlorobenzene that can be determined by this method is 10 mg/m3" (our translation; spelling as on the card). The PKN search for "chlorobenzenu" (04.10.2026) shows as current PN-Z-04537:2022-03 and standards for other chlorobenzenes — PN-Z-04569:2025-06 (1,2- and 1,4-dichlorobenzene) and PN-Z-04532:2021-11 (hexachlorobenzene); the remaining items, including PN-Z-04022-3:2001 and PN-Z-04082:1969, are labelled "Withdrawn". PN-Z-04082 is not cited by any laboratory in the copy.

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 04537 appears in 4 records at 4 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 08.01.2026 to 08.09.2026) — in 4 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 records have the form "PN-Z-04537:2022-03"; AB 300 — next to instruction IN-59 ed. 3 of 18.12.2025, AB 882 — next to procedure 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 (search term "PN-Z-04537") shows all 4 laboratories — checked with a tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 04.10.2026. REPLACED STANDARD: PN-Z-04022-3:2001 appears in the database copy in 3 records at 3 other laboratories (3 rows in PCA): AB 632 (2.3–140 mg/m³, GC-FID), AB 935 (0.1–100 mg/m³, together with PN-Z-04016-10:2005, GC-FID) and AB 1642 (0.110–861 mg/m³, GC-FID); no laboratory cites both standards.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy). Object: working environment — air; AB 300 — samples collected on sorbent tubes, AB 1144 — on a solid sorbent, AB 1207 — on activated carbon tubes (at AB 1207 the object also covers ambient and indoor air). Quantity: concentration (content) of chlorobenzene. Ranges in mg/m³: 0.17–480 (AB 1207, GC-MS), 0.28–200 (AB 300), 0.40–485 (AB 882, GC-MS), 0.60–400 (AB 1144). Technique: GC-FID — AB 300 and AB 1144; gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS) — AB 882 and AB 1207, according to in-house procedures.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — which standard: a result "according to the chlorobenzene standard" may come from PN-Z-04537:2022-03 (4 laboratories) or from the replaced PN-Z-04022-3:2001 (AB 632, AB 935, AB 1642), whose card gives activated carbon, carbon disulphide and a determinability of 10 mg/m³; the report should cite the standard actually applied. Second — limit of quantification: according to the card of the new standard 2.3 mg/m³; all four laboratories give a lower bottom limit (from 0.17 to 0.60 mg/m³), which requires conditions different from those in the standard — the report should name them. Third — detector: the title and the card speak of GC-FID, while AB 882 and AB 1207 use GC-MS according to in-house procedures, with the standard alongside. Fourth — other chlorobenzenes: dichlorobenzenes and hexachlorobenzene have separate standards and separate NDS items — the result concerns only monochlorobenzene. 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 2022 standard, the volume or flow rate of air sampling, the column, the chromatograph conditions or calculations. We do not claim how the 2022 method differs from the 2001 method beyond what the cards say (determinability 2.3 versus 10 mg/m³).

Method principle

Chlorobenzene in workplace air is determined by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (PKN card); the result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 23 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 70 mg/m³. Lowest determinable concentration according to the card — 2.3 mg/m³. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard; the replaced PN-Z-04022-3:2001 described, according to its card, activated carbon and desorption with carbon disulphide.

Applications

• Workplace air — chlorobenzene — in the current scopes of 4 laboratories; the replaced PN-Z-04022-3:2001 — at 3 others
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 23 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 70 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 96 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04537:2022-03

Title (PL)

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

Title (EN)

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

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   WE DO NOT GIVE the sorbent and volume according to the 2022 standard (the 2001 standard according to its card — activated carbon).

2. Desorption

   WE DO NOT GIVE the solvent according to the 2022 standard (the 2001 standard according to its card — carbon disulphide).

3. Analysis

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

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 23 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 70 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); lowest determinable concentration 2.3 mg/m³.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Chlorobenzene and desorption solvents — work in a fume hood, chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: a bottom limit below 2.3 mg/m³ requires conditions different from those in the standard; the replaced PN-Z-04022-3:2001 is still in 3 scopes

Frequently asked questions