🌿 Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) in workplace air — gas chromatography without enrichment or with sample enrichment using carbon disulfide; MAC (NDS) 88 mg/m³, STEL (NDSCh) 353 mg/m³, "skin"; PN-Z-04110-01:1977 (withdrawn 27-11-2012)

Environment PN-Z-04110-01

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "The subject of the standard is the determination of methylene chloride in workplace air by the following methods: a) gas chromatography without sample enrichment, b) gas chromatography with sample enrichment using carbon disulfide." (our translation). The card does not give the limit of quantification, the sorbent, the detector or the air volume. We did not have the text of the standard (4 pages). The CIOP article "Dichlorometan – metoda oznaczania" (Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy 2009, No. 1(59), pp. 135–140) lists only PN-Z-04008-7 in its normative references and does not cite this standard.

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 165: "Dichloromethane [75-09-2]" — NDS 88 mg/m³ (25 ppm), NDSCh 353 mg/m³ (100 ppm), "skin" notation, no note on the fraction; the substance is not covered by the transitional provisions of § 2. The card of this standard gives no limit of quantification; the card of PN-Z-04437:2011 gives 8.8 mg/m³, i.e. 10 % of the NDS.

STATUS (cards as of 05.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04110-01:1977 (Polish version) has the heading "Withdrawn" without naming a replacing standard: publication 16-12-1977, withdrawal date 27-11-2012, 4 pages, price group B, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT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 of PN-Z-04437:2011 ("… Determination of dichloromethane at workplaces by gas chromatography") has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Replaces" field: publication 12-09-2011, 6 pages, activated or modified carbon, desorption with carbon disulfide, limit of quantification 8.8 mg/m³. PKN search (05.10.2026): under "PN-Z-04110" — 3 parts of the series "Tests for methylene chloride content": -00:1977 (scope of the standard), -01:1977 and -02:1983, all labelled "Withdrawn"; under "dichlorometanu" — 4 items, of which only PN-Z-04437:2011 concerns workplace air; among the first 50 results for "chlorku metylenu" the only standards on this substance in air are this withdrawn series. PN-Z-04437:2011 and part -02:1983 (toluene, cumene) are described in separate entries of this database.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, data up to 17.09.2026, read on 05.10.2026). Number 04110-01 appears in 2 records at 2 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues of 29.01.2026 and 22.07.2026) — in 2 rows at the same laboratories; a search of all PCA documents downloaded from the BIP found no laboratories outside the database copy; no entry is suspended and no pages are repeated in any document. Notations: "PN-77/Z-04110.01" — AB 746; "PN-77/Z-04110/01" — AB 875. The "Laboratories" tab searches for records beginning with the term entered: each of these notations shows 1 laboratory, and the term "PN-Z-04110-01" — none; the same in the copy and on the labcoda.pl production server (tab queries on 05.10.2026). None of these 2 laboratories cites PN-Z-04437:2011, which according to the database copy is in the scopes of 6 other laboratories.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy and PCA documents). Subject: working environment — air, samples collected into (on) sorbent tubes. Quantity: concentration (content) of dichloromethane. Ranges: AB 746 — 0.62–707 mg/m³ (0.18–200 ppm; 0.010–5.0 mg per sample); AB 875 — 2.5–200 mg/m³ (0.05–4 mg per sample). Technique: gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) — both laboratories.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — withdrawn standard: this standard has not been valid since 27-11-2012, and the current PN-Z-04437:2011 exists; the report should state explicitly that the standard is withdrawn. Second — which of the two methods: the standard contains a method without enrichment and one with enrichment using carbon disulfide, while the laboratories only mention samples on sorbent tubes — the scope does not show which method of the standard they use. Third — NDSCh: the upper limit of AB 875 (200 mg/m³) lies below the NDSCh of 353 mg/m³, that of AB 746 (707 mg/m³) — above it; for assessment against the NDSCh the range of AB 875 may be too narrow. Fourth — two parts of one series: part -02:1983 is a different method with different solvents; the part number in the report determines which method was used. Fifth — searching: the term "PN-Z-04110-01" shows no laboratory.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the limit of quantification, the sorbent, the volume or flow rate of the air sample, the detector according to the standard, the column, the chromatograph conditions or the calculations. We do not claim that PN-Z-04437:2011 replaced this standard — the cards do not say so.

Method principle

Methylene chloride (dichloromethane) in workplace air is determined by gas chromatography — by a method without sample enrichment or a method with enrichment using carbon disulfide (PKN card). The result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 88 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 353 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). The standard has been withdrawn since 27-11-2012; the current standard for dichloromethane is PN-Z-04437:2011.

Applications

• Workplace air — dichloromethane — in the current scopes of 2 laboratories despite the withdrawal of the standard (the current PN-Z-04437:2011 — at 6 others)
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 88 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 353 mg/m³, with the "skin" notation (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 165 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04110-01:1977

Title (PL)

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

Title (EN)

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

Step-by-step procedure

1. Choice of method

   Method without sample enrichment or with enrichment using carbon disulfide (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the selection criteria.

2. Sampling

   WE DO NOT GIVE details — the card does not describe them.

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography (PKN card); in the scopes — GC-FID; WE DO NOT GIVE the conditions.

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration of dichloromethane in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 88 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 353 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Dichloromethane and carbon disulfide — safety rules of the chemical laboratory
• TECHNICAL NOTE: standard withdrawn since 27-11-2012 — the current standard is PN-Z-04437:2011; the upper limit of AB 875 (200 mg/m³) lies below the NDSCh of 353 mg/m³

Frequently asked questions