🌿 Trichloroethene (trichloroethylene) in workplace air — gas chromatography: a) without sample enrichment, b) with enrichment using carbon disulphide; not applicable in the presence of substances with the same or similar retention time; MAC (NDS) 50 mg/m³ (9.17 ppm), STEL (NDSCh) 100 mg/m³, "skin" notation; PN-Z-04047-02:1978 (withdrawn 10-09-2015)

Environment PN-Z-04047-02

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN catalogue card, in full (our translation): "The subject of the standard is the determination of trichloroethylene in workplace air by the methods of: a) gas chromatography without sample enrichment, b) gas chromatography with sample enrichment. The methods are used to determine the concentration of trichloroethylene vapours in workplace air when checking sanitary and hygienic conditions. These methods should not be used in the presence of substances with the same or similar retention time as trichloroethylene, masking the chromatogram of the substance determined." The title adds that enrichment is done "using carbon disulphide" (older Polish name "dwusiarczek węgla"; in the Polish entry "disiarczek węgla", as in the NDS list and newer PKN cards); the name "trichloroethene (trichloroethylene)" is used in the scope of AB 746. The card does not give the lowest determinable concentration. We did not have the text of the standard (4 pages).

NDS VALUES (list in the annex to the regulation of 26 March 2026, Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Item 544: "Trichloroethene [79-01-6]" — NDS 50 mg/m³ (9.17 ppm), NDSCh 100 mg/m³ (18.34 ppm), "skin" notation (according to footnote 4 of the list, absorption through the skin "may be as important as in exposure by inhalation").

STATUS (cards as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04047-02:1978 (Polish version) has the heading "Withdrawn": published 11-12-1978, withdrawal date 10-09-2015, 4 pages, price group B, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the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 does not indicate a replacing standard. The PKN search for "PN-Z-04047" and "trójchloroetylenu" (trichloroethylene) (04.10.2026) shows the whole series labelled "Withdrawn": PN-Z-04047-00:1974 (general provisions and scope; card: withdrawn 23-08-2007, 1 page, KT 280 Air Quality), PN-Z-04047-01:1974 (colorimetric method), PN-Z-04047-02:1978 and PN-Z-04047-03:1983 (gas chromatography with enrichment using cumene), as well as PN-Z-04047:1957 ("Rapid method…", replaced by PN-Z-04047-01:1974); the search returns no current standard for trichloroethene in workplaces.

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 04047-02 (with a hyphen, full stop or slash before the part number, also with spaces) appears in 11 records at 9 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 29.01.2026 to 18.08.2026 — all issued after the withdrawal of the standard) — in 10 rows at the same laboratories (AB 886 has two records in the database copy and one row in PCA); a search of all PCA documents downloaded from the BIP with the same pattern found no laboratories outside the database copy; no item with this standard is suspended and no document repeats pages. Form "PN-Z-04047-02:1978" — AB 583, AB 340 and AB 719 (at AB 719 "pkt 2.2.7" (clause 2.2.7) next to procedure PA-31 edition 7 of 24.01.2025); old form "PN-78/Z-04047.02" — AB 622, AB 746 and AB 964 (at AB 964 "pkt. 2.2" (clause 2.2)); "PN-78/Z-04047/02" — AB 632 and AB 886 (next to procedure PB-02 edition no. 12 of 16.10.2023); AB 591 — "PN-78/Z -04047/02 z wył. pkt.2.2.7 i pkt. 2.2.12" (excluding clauses 2.2.7 and 2.2.12; result per sample) and "PN-78/ Z -04047/02 pkt.2.2.7 i pkt.2.2.12" (clauses 2.2.7 and 2.2.12; calculated concentration). The "Laboratories" tab searches for entries beginning with the query typed: "PN-Z-04047-02" shows 3 laboratories, "PN-78/Z-04047.02" — 3, "PN-78/Z-04047/02" — 2, "PN-78/Z -04047/02" and "PN-78/ Z -04047/02" — 1 each (both AB 591), 9 in total, the same in the copy and on the production server labcoda.pl (tab queries on 04.10.2026).

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy). Object: working environment — air; at AB 719 air samples collected on sorption tubes with charcoal, at AB 746 — into sorbent tubes, at AB 591, AB 632 and AB 886 — on sorbent or sorption tubes. Quantity: concentration (content) of trichloroethene (at AB 746 with the addition "trichloroethylene"). Ranges in mg/m³: 0.062–200 (AB 746), 0.17–500 (AB 886 — range from the PCA document, the database copy has records without a range), 0.75–200 (AB 964), 0.84–1500.0 (AB 340), 1.0–285 (AB 622), 1.7–450 (AB 583), 4.2–292 (AB 591, calculated), 5.0–200 (AB 632); AB 719 — 0.020–19.0 mg per sample. Technique: gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) — all 9 laboratories (at AB 591 no technique is given for the calculated item).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — status: the standard has been withdrawn since 10-09-2015, and the PKN search shows no other standard for trichloroethene; 9 laboratories have it in scopes issued in 2026 — the customer should know that the result is produced according to a standard withdrawn from the PKN catalogue. Second — which of the two methods: the standard contains a method without enrichment and one with enrichment; AB 964 cites "clause 2.2", AB 719 "clause 2.2.7", and AB 591 excludes clauses 2.2.7 and 2.2.12 for the result per sample and cites them for the calculated concentration — which method these clauses cover WE DO NOT GIVE without the text of the standard; the other laboratories do not indicate the method. Third — interferences: according to the card the methods are not applied when substances with the same or similar retention time, masking the chromatogram, are present in the air — with solvent mixtures the report should demonstrate separation. Fourth — limit of quantification: the card does not give it, so the laboratories' ranges (from 0.062 mg/m³) cannot be compared with it. Fifth — searching: the old notations "PN-78/Z-04047.02", "PN-78/Z-04047/02" and notations with spaces ("PN-78/Z -04047/02") are not found under the query "PN-Z-04047-02" — each form has to be typed separately. Sixth — skin and NDSCh: measurement in air does not cover absorption through the skin; WE DO NOT GIVE measurement conditions against the NDSCh of 100 mg/m³.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the sampling method, air volume, enrichment procedure, column, detector required by the standard, chromatograph conditions, limit of quantification or calculations. We do not claim that another standard has replaced PN-Z-04047-02:1978 — PKN indicates none.

Method principle

Trichloroethylene (trichloroethene) vapours in workplace air are determined by gas chromatography — according to the card of the standard by a method without sample enrichment or with enrichment (in the title: using carbon disulphide); the methods are not applied when substances with the same or similar retention time, masking the chromatogram, are present. The result in mg/m³ is compared with the NDS of 50 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 100 mg/m³. The standard is withdrawn (10-09-2015); WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — trichloroethene (trichloroethylene) — in the current scopes of 9 laboratories, despite the withdrawal of the standard
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 50 mg/m³ (9.17 ppm) and the NDSCh of 100 mg/m³ (18.34 ppm), "skin" notation (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 544 of the list)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04047-02:1978

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Badania zawartości trójchloroetylenu — Oznaczanie trójchloroetylenu na stanowiskach pracy metodą chromatografii gazowej bez wzbogacania próbki i z wzbogacaniem przy użyciu dwusiarczku węgla

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Tests for trichloroethylene content — Determination of trichloroethylene at workplaces by gas chromatography without sample enrichment and with enrichment using carbon disulphide

Step-by-step procedure

1. Status

   PN-Z-04047-02:1978 withdrawn 10-09-2015, no successor indicated (card as of 04.10.2026).

2. Choice of method

   Method a) without enrichment or b) with enrichment using carbon disulphide; WE DO NOT GIVE details.

3. Analysis

   Gas chromatography; not in the presence of substances with the same or similar retention time (PKN card).

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 50 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 100 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Carbon disulphide during sample enrichment — work in a fume hood, chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: standard withdrawn on 10-09-2015; the card gives no limit of quantification; not in the presence of substances with a similar retention time

Frequently asked questions