🌿 Turpentine in workplace air — adsorption of vapours on Tenax TA, desorption with methanol, gas chromatography; lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 30 mg/m³, MAC (NDS) 112 mg/m³, STEL (NDSCh) 300 mg/m³; PN-Z-04333:2006

Environment PN-Z-04333

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "A method is given consisting in the adsorption of turpentine vapours on Tenax TA, desorption of the compound with methanol and analysis of the obtained solution by gas chromatography. The lowest concentration of turpentine that can be determined by this method is 30 mg/m3" (our translation; on the card without a full stop at the end). The card gives neither the detector nor the air volume. We did not have the text of the standard (6 pages); the CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 does not list an article on turpentine (searched on 05.10.2026).

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 507: "Turpentine [8006-64-2]" — NDS 112 mg/m³, NDSCh 300 mg/m³, without the "skin" notation. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 30 mg/m³, is about 27 % of the NDS.

STATUS (card as of 05.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04333:2006 (Polish version) has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Withdrawal date" line: published 21-03-2006, 6 pages, price group C, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the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" field: PN-Z-04059:1975 (Polish version). The PKN search for "PN-Z-04333" (05.10.2026) returns only this standard. The number 04059 does not appear in any current PCA document downloaded from the BIP nor in the knowledge base (searched on 05.10.2026).

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, data load up to 17.09.2026, read on 05.10.2026). The number 04333 appears in 2 records at 2 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues of 26.01.2026 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 item is suspended, and no document repeats pages. The form "PN-Z-04333:2006" — AB 849 and AB 940, without procedures. The "Laboratories" tab (search term "PN-Z-04333") shows both laboratories — checked with a tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 05.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy and PCA documents). AB 849 — working environment, air samples collected on tubes: concentration and content of turpentine 5.0–1200 mg/m³ (0.15–6.0 mg per sample); AB 940 — working environment, air: concentration of turpentine 11–600 mg/m³. Technique: gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) — both laboratories.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — limit of quantification: according to the card 30 mg/m³; AB 849 gives 5.0 mg/m³, AB 940 11 mg/m³, which requires conditions different from those in the standard — the report should name them. Second — sorbent: the card speaks of Tenax TA, AB 849 generally of tubes, AB 940 does not give the sampler; whether the laboratory uses the sorbent of the standard cannot be seen from the scope.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the mass of Tenax TA, the volume or flow rate of air sampling, the volume of methanol, the column, the detector required by the standard, the chromatograph conditions or calculations.

Method principle

Turpentine vapours from workplace air are adsorbed on Tenax TA, desorbed with methanol and the solution is analysed by gas chromatography (PKN card); the result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 112 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 300 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Lowest determinable concentration according to the card — 30 mg/m³. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — turpentine — in the current scopes of 2 laboratories
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 112 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 300 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 507 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04333:2006

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Oznaczanie terpentyny na stanowiskach pracy metodą chromatografii gazowej

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of turpentine at workplaces by gas chromatography

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   Adsorption of turpentine vapours on Tenax TA (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the volume.

2. Desorption

   With methanol (PKN card).

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography of the solution (PKN card); WE DO NOT GIVE the conditions.

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 112 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 300 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); lowest determinable concentration 30 mg/m³.

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Turpentine and methanol — chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: both laboratories give bottom limits lower than the card (30 mg/m³); the scopes do not confirm the sorbent of the standard

Frequently asked questions