🌿 Titanium and its compounds in workplace air — flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS); lowest determinable concentration according to the standard 0.87 mg/m³ as Ti (720 l of air), MAC (NDS) 10 mg/m³, STEL (NDSCh) 30 mg/m³ (as Ti); PN-Z-04489:2017-10

Environment PN-Z-04489

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN card, in full: "This standard gives a method for determining titanium (CAS no.: 13463-67-7) and its compounds in workplace air using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The method is used in the inspection of sanitary and hygienic conditions. The lowest concentration of titanium and its compounds as titanium that can be determined under the air sampling and determination conditions described in the standard is 0.87 mg/m3 (for an air sample of 720 l)." (our translation). The card gives neither the sampling method nor the digestion. We did not have the text of the standard (8 pages); the CIOP index of methods from 2000–2017 lists no article on titanium (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 561: "Titanium [7440-32-6] and its compounds – as Ti" — NDS 10 mg/m³, NDSCh 30 mg/m³, no "skin" notation. Separate item 204: "Titanium dioxide [13463-67-7] – inhalable fraction" — NDS 10 mg/m³, no NDSCh. The lowest determinable concentration according to the card, 0.87 mg/m³, is 8.7 % of the NDS for titanium. The CAS number given on the card for "titanium" (13463-67-7) is, in the NDS list, the number of titanium dioxide; titanium has the number 7440-32-6 in the list.

STATUS (card as of 04.10.2026). The card of PN-Z-04489:2017-10 (Polish version) has neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Withdrawal date" line: published 23-10-2017, 8 pages, price group D, Health, Environment and Medicine Sector, KT 159 Chemical and Dust Hazards in the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 for "PN-Z-04489" (04.10.2026) returns only this standard.

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 04489 appears in 3 records at 3 laboratories; in the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026; issues from 26.01.2026 to 02.07.2026) — 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. The form "PN-Z-04489:2017-10" — AB 849 on its own, AB 632 next to instruction IB-10 edition 1 of 01.10.2023, AB 719 as "PN-Z-04489:2017-10 pkt 7" next to procedure PA-29 edition 18 of 30.01.2026 "z wyłączeniem pkt. 3.6". The "Laboratories" tab (search term "PN-Z-04489") shows all 3 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, samples collected on filters. Quantity: concentration (content) of titanium and its compounds as Ti. Ranges: AB 632 — 0.868–62.5 mg/m³ and 0.625–45 mg per sample; AB 849 — 0.14–60 mg/m³ and 0.1–24.0 mg per sample; AB 719 — 0.0025–15.0 mg per sample. Technique: flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) — AB 632 and AB 849; AB 719 — inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — technique: the title and the card speak of FAAS, while AB 719 determines titanium by ICP-OES according to its own procedure, citing only point 7 of the standard; what this point covers does not follow from the card — the report should state that the result does not come from an FAAS measurement. Second — limit of quantification: according to the card 0.87 mg/m³ for 720 l; AB 632 gives this limit (0.868 mg/m³), AB 849 a lower one (0.14 mg/m³), which requires conditions different from those in the standard. Third — two items of the list: a result as Ti is compared with the NDS for titanium and its compounds (item 561), while titanium dioxide has a separate item for the inhalable fraction (item 204) — the card does not mention a fraction, and the CAS number on it belongs in the list to titanium dioxide; the report should clearly state against which item the result is assessed. Fourth — the NDSCh of 30 mg/m³ requires a short-term measurement whose conditions WE DO NOT GIVE; the determinability on the card is given for a 720 l sample.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give the filter, the sampling flow rate, the digestion method, the wavelength, the type of flame or calculations; we do not know the content of point 7 of the standard.

Method principle

Titanium and its compounds in workplace air are determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (PKN card), and the result as titanium is compared with the NDS of 10 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 30 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447). Lowest determinable concentration according to the card — 0.87 mg/m³ for a 720 l sample. WE DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Workplace air — titanium and its compounds (as Ti) — in the current scopes of 3 laboratories
• Assessment of occupational exposure against the NDS of 10 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 30 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447, item 561 of the list); titanium dioxide — separate item 204 (inhalable fraction)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-Z-04489:2017-10

Title (PL)

Ochrona czystości powietrza — Oznaczanie tytanu i jego związków na stanowiskach pracy metodą płomieniowej absorpcyjnej spektrometrii atomowej

Title (EN)

Air purity protection — Determination of titanium and its compounds at workplaces by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sampling

   According to the card the determinability is given for 720 l of air; in the laboratories' scopes — filters; WE DO NOT GIVE details.

2. Sample preparation

   WE DO NOT GIVE the way the sample is brought into solution — the card does not give it.

3. Measurement

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

4. Result and assessment

   Concentration as Ti in mg/m³; comparison with the NDS of 10 mg/m³ and the NDSCh of 30 mg/m³ (Journal of Laws 2026 item 447); lowest determinable concentration 0.87 mg/m³.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Titanium and its compounds — chemical laboratory safety rules
• TECHNICAL NOTE: AB 719 uses ICP-OES, not FAAS; titanium and titanium dioxide have separate items in the NDS list

Frequently asked questions