🌿 N,N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAC) in workplace air — gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID); lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 1 mg/m³; MAC (NDS) 35 mg/m³ (9.7 ppm), STEL (NDSCh) 70 mg/m³ (19 ppm), "skin" notation; PN-Z-04491:2017-10

Environment PN-Z-04491

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "This standard gives a method for determining N,N-dimethylacetamide (CAS No.: 127-19-5) in workplace air using gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection. The method is used in the control of sanitary and hygienic conditions. The lowest concentration of N,N dimethylacetamide that can be determined under the air sampling and determination conditions described in the standard is 1 mg/m3" (our translation; spelling as on the card — in the second sentence "N,N dimethylacetamide" without a hyphen; no full stop at the end). The card does not give the sampling method, the sorbent or the air volume. We did not have the text of the standard (8 pages). The CIOP method index for 2000–2017 lists "N,N-Dimetyloacetamid – nr 1(87) 2016"; we have 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 183: "N,N-Dimethylacetamide [127-19-5]" — NDS 35 mg/m³ (9.7 ppm), NDSCh 70 mg/m³ (19 ppm), "skin" notation; the substance is not covered by the transitional provisions of § 2. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 1 mg/m³, is about 3 % of the NDS.

STATUS (card as of 05.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04491:2017-10 (Polish version) has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Withdrawal date" line: publication 23-10-2017, 8 pages, price group D, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the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 under "PN-Z-04491" (05.10.2026) returns only this standard, and under "dimetyloacetamidu" — this standard and two editions of the textile standard PN-EN ISO 1833-20 (2010, withdrawn, and 2019-05).

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 04491 appears in 2 records at 2 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues of 11.06.2026 and 17.09.2026) — 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 pages are repeated in any document. The AB 1226 entry is suspended — bold italics and the footnote "Accreditation suspended at the request of the body in the part of the scope marked in bold italics from 10.06.2026 to 07.12.2026" (our translation; issue No. 26 of 17.09.2026). Notations: "PN-Z-04491:2017-10" — AB 1226; "PN-Z-04491:2017" (without the month) — AB 1207, alongside procedure PB-06B issue 8 of 20.01.2025. The "Laboratories" tab (search term "PN-Z-04491") shows both laboratories — checked with the tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 05.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy and PCA documents). AB 1226 — working environment, air: concentration and content of N,N-dimethylacetamide 2.0–160 mg/m³ (0.020–1.6 mg per sample), gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID); entry suspended from 10.06.2026 to 07.12.2026. AB 1207 — concentration and content of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC) 0.33–670 mg/m³ (0.091–184.9 ppm; 0.002–4 mg per sample), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS); the entry is in a group with three test objects: working environment (air samples collected on sorbent tubes — silica gel), general environment (ambient air samples) and indoor rooms.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — suspension: the laboratory with GC-FID, i.e. the technique in the title of the standard, has this entry suspended until 7 December 2026; until then the only non-suspended accreditation with this standard is AB 1207 with GC-MS. Second — technique: AB 1207 uses mass spectrometry with procedure PB-06B, while the standard describes flame ionisation detection — the report should state the technique. Third — subject: at AB 1207 the entry is in a group that also covers ambient air and indoor rooms — for these subjects the NDS is not a reference value. Fourth — document designation: AB 1207 writes the standard without the month ("PN-Z-04491:2017"), which is easy to miss when searching by the full designation. Fifth — skin: the NDS has the "skin" notation, and a measurement in air does not cover absorption through the skin.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the sampling method, the sorbent, the air volume or flow rate, the solvent, the column, the chromatograph conditions or the calculations; we do not know the content of the CIOP article of 2016.

Method principle

N,N-Dimethylacetamide in workplace air is determined by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection; lowest determinable concentration according to the PKN card — 1 mg/m³. The result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 35 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 70 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — N,N-dimethylacetamide — in the current scopes of 2 laboratories (one entry suspended until 7 December 2026)
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 35 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 70 mg/m³, "skin" notation (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 183 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04491:2017-10

Title (PL)

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

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of N,N-dimethylacetamide at workplaces by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   According to the conditions described in the standard (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the method, sorbent and volume.

2. Sample preparation

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

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 35 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 70 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)

• N,N-Dimethylacetamide — "skin" notation in the NDS list; safety rules of the chemical laboratory
• TECHNICAL NOTE: the GC-FID entry (AB 1226) is suspended until 7 December 2026; AB 1207 uses GC-MS with procedure PB-06B

Frequently asked questions