🌿 Epichlorohydrin (1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane) in workplace air — gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS); lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 0.1 mg/m³, MAC (NDS) 1 mg/m³, "skin" notation; PN-Z-04540:2022-08

Environment PN-Z-04540

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "This standard gives a method for determining 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane (CAS no.: 106-89-8) in workplace air using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The method is used in the inspection of sanitary and hygienic conditions. The lowest concentration of 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane that can be determined under the air sampling and determination conditions described in the standard is 0.1 mg/m3." (our translation). The card gives neither the sampler, the solvent nor the air volume. We did not have the text of the standard (8 pages); the CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 lists no article on epichlorohydrin or 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane (searched on 04.10.2026).

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 100: "1-Chloro-2,3-epoxypropane – epichlorohydrin [106-89-8]" — NDS 1 mg/m³, no NDSCh, "skin" notation. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 0.1 mg/m³, is 10 % of the NDS.

STATUS (card as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04540:2022-08 (Polish version) has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Withdrawal date" line: published 22-08-2022, 8 pages, price group D, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the Working Environment, ICS 13.040.30; the card has no "Replaces" field. The PKN search for "PN-Z-04540" and "1-chloro-2,3-epoksypropanu" (04.10.2026) returns only this standard; the term "epoksypropanu" returns it alongside the standards on 1,2-epoxypropane and 1-butoxy-2,3-epoxypropane. The term "epichlorohydryny" (six results, read on 04.10.2026) does not show it — it returns, among others, the withdrawn PN-Z-04029-00:1981 and PN-Z-04029-01:1981 (workplaces, gas chromatography with sample enrichment) and PN-Z-04091:1970. The withdrawn PN-Z-04029-01:1981 is described in a separate entry of this database; the card of the 2022 standard is not linked to it by a "Replaces" field.

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 04540 appears in 3 records at 2 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues of 11.06.2026 and 23.07.2026) — in 3 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. Forms: "PN-Z-04540:2022-08" — AB 882 in two items (next to procedure PB-01 edition 5 of 12.01.2026 and next to procedure PB-10 edition 1 of 31.08.2022); "PN-Z-04540:2022" (without the month) — AB 1207 (next to procedure PB-06K edition 3 of 20.01.2025). The "Laboratories" tab (search term "PN-Z-04540") 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). AB 882 — working environment, air samples: 0.07–2.4 mg/m³ (0.002–0.072 mg per sample) with PB-01 and gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID), and 0.031–0.64 mg/m³ (0.00092–0.019 mg per sample) with PB-10 and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). AB 1207 — 0.024–60 mg/m³ (0.0005–1.20 mg per sample), GC-MS; the item stands in a group with three test objects: working environment (air samples collected on activated carbon tubes), general environment (ambient air samples) and indoor rooms (air samples collected on activated carbon tubes).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — searching: under the name "epichlorohydrin" the PKN catalogue shows only withdrawn standards for air, so it is easy to conclude that there is no current standard — there is one, under the systematic name. Second — detector: the title and the card speak of mass spectrometry, while AB 882 uses flame ionisation detection in the item with PB-01 — the result from this item is not obtained by the technique in the title of the standard. Third — bottom limit: according to the card 0.1 mg/m³; AB 882 gives 0.07 and 0.031 mg/m³, AB 1207 0.024 mg/m³, which requires conditions different from those in the standard — the report should name them. Fourth — upper limit: AB 882 ends its range in the GC-MS item at 0.64 mg/m³, i.e. below the NDS (1 mg/m³); a result at or above the NDS falls outside this accredited range. Fifth — skin: the NDS has the "skin" notation, and a measurement in air does not cover absorption through the skin. Sixth — object: at AB 1207 the item stands in a group that also covers ambient air and indoor rooms — for these objects the NDS is not a reference value.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the sampler, the sorbent, the volume or flow rate of air sampling, the solvent, the column, the ions monitored in the mass spectrometer, the chromatograph conditions or calculations.

Method principle

1-Chloro-2,3-epoxypropane (epichlorohydrin) in workplace air is determined by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (PKN card); the result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 1 mg/m³. Lowest determinable concentration according to the card — 0.1 mg/m³. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — epichlorohydrin (1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane) — in the current scopes of 2 laboratories (3 items)
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 1 mg/m³, "skin" notation (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 100 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04540:2022-08

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Oznaczanie 1-chloro-2,3-epoksypropanu na stanowiskach pracy metodą chromatografii gazowej ze spektrometrią mas

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane at workplaces by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   WE DO NOT GIVE the sampler or volume — the card does not give them.

2. Sample preparation

   WE DO NOT GIVE the conditions — we did not have the text of the standard.

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the conditions.

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 1 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); "skin" notation — a measurement in air does not cover the dermal route.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Epichlorohydrin — "skin" notation in the NDS list; chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: the current standard is in the PKN catalogue only under the systematic name; AB 882 uses GC-FID instead of mass spectrometry in one of its two items

Frequently asked questions