🌿 Mercury vapour in workplace air — adsorption on hopcalite, elution with nitric(V) acid, cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS); lowest determinable concentration according to the standard about 0.003 mg/m³, MAC (NDS) 0.02 mg/m³ for mercury, its vapour and inorganic compounds (as Hg), "skin" notation; PN-Z-04332:2006

Environment PN-Z-04332

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "A method is given consisting in the adsorption of mercury vapour on hopcalite, elution of the retained compound with nitric(V) acid and determination in the solution obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry using the cold vapour technique. The lowest concentration of mercury that can be determined by this method is about 0.003 mg/m3" (our translation; on the card without a full stop at the end). We did not have the text of the standard (6 pages). The CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 lists "Rtęć (pary) – nr 3(25) 2000"; we did not read the article and give nothing from it.

NDS VALUE (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 486: "Mercury [7439-97-6], vapour and its inorganic compounds – as Hg" — NDS 0.02 mg/m³, no NDSCh, "skin" notation. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, about 0.003 mg/m³, is about 15 % of the NDS.

STATUS (card as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04332:2006 (Polish version) has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Withdrawal date" line: published 04-04-2006, 6 pages, price group C, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the Working Environment, ICS 13.040.30, "Replaces PN-Z-04040:1972, PN-Z-04133-01:1981". The PKN search for "PN-Z-04332" (04.10.2026) returns only this standard; for "rtęci" also the withdrawn PN-Z-04040:1972 and PN-Z-04133-01:1981 (both "Withdrawn and replaced by PN-Z-04332:2006") and PN-Z-04133-06:1990 (mercury vapour in ambient air). The replaced standards PN-Z-04040 and PN-Z-04133-01 are not cited by any laboratory in the database 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 04332 appears in 4 records at 4 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 04.09.2025 to 16.06.2026) — 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-04332:2006"; AB 418 — next to procedure PB-211/12.2024 ed. I of 02.12.2024, AB 875 — next to Test Procedure PB 366 edition 6 of 02.05.2022, AB 869 — next to "Metodyka OSHA Technical Center Salt Lake City nr ID-145, grudzień 1989". The "Laboratories" tab (search term "PN-Z-04332") shows all 4 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: working environment — air; AB 418 and AB 875 — samples collected on sorption (sorbent) tubes and on a filter, AB 869 — on sorbent tubes and on filters, AB 935 — without a note. Quantity: at AB 418, AB 869 and AB 875 — mercury, its vapour and inorganic compounds as Hg (as in the NDS list item), at AB 935 — "mercury and its vapour". Ranges in mg/m³: 0.00125–0.6 (AB 935), 0.0019–0.050 (AB 418), 0.002–1 (AB 875); AB 869 — 0.025–6.0 µg per sample. Technique: cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) — all 4 laboratories.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — what the standard covers: the title and the card speak of mercury vapour retained on hopcalite, the NDS of mercury, its vapour and inorganic compounds; three laboratories also sample on a filter and give inorganic compounds — whether the standard covers the filter fraction does not follow from the card; the report should state what was sampled. Second — limit of quantification: according to the card about 0.003 mg/m³; AB 875 (0.002), AB 418 (0.0019) and AB 935 (0.00125) give a lower bottom limit, which requires conditions different from those in the standard — the report should name them. Third — documents alongside: AB 869 applies the standard together with OSHA method ID-145, and AB 418 and AB 875 with in-house procedures; we have not compared their content with the standard. Fourth — skin: the NDS has a "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 mass of hopcalite, the volume or flow rate of air sampling, the concentration and volume of nitric acid, the conditions of the cold vapour technique, the wavelength or calculations.

Method principle

Mercury vapour from workplace air is adsorbed on hopcalite, eluted with nitric(V) acid, and the mercury in the solution is determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (PKN card); the result is compared with the NDS of 0.02 mg/m³ as Hg. Lowest determinable concentration according to the card — about 0.003 mg/m³. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — mercury vapour (in the scopes of three laboratories also inorganic compounds on a filter) — in the current scopes of 4 laboratories
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 0.02 mg/m³ as Hg, "skin" notation (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 486 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04332:2006

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Oznaczanie par rtęci na stanowiskach pracy metodą absorpcyjnej spektrometrii atomowej techniką zimnych par

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of mercury vapour at workplaces by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   Adsorption of mercury vapour on hopcalite (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the volume.

2. Elution

   With nitric(V) acid (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the conditions.

3. Measurement

   Cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the conditions.

4. Result and assessment

   Mercury concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 0.02 mg/m³ as Hg (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); lowest determinable concentration about 0.003 mg/m³.

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Mercury and its compounds — "skin" notation in the NDS list; nitric(V) acid in a fume hood; mercury waste kept separate
• TECHNICAL NOTE: the card describes mercury vapour on hopcalite, while the NDS also covers inorganic compounds; a bottom limit below about 0.003 mg/m³ requires conditions different from those in the standard

Frequently asked questions