Description of BS ISO 16000-38:2019 2019

This document specifies a method for the determination of primary, secondary and tertiary aliphatic and aromatic amines in indoor air using accumulated sampling and high-performance liquid-chromatography (HPLC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) or high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). It specifies the sampling procedure for determining the mass concentration of amines as mean values by sampling the amines on phosphoric acid impregnated filters. The analytical procedure of the measurement method is covered by ISO 16000‑39.

Measurements, performed with samplers containing phosphoric acid-impregnated inert supporting material and operating at specified flow rates for specified sampling periods are described in this document. Requirements regarding sample volume are also defined.

The range of application of this document concerning the concentrations of amines in indoor air depends on the linear range of the calibration line and hence on the gas sample volume (here: from 5 l up to 100 l), the eluate volume (from 1 ml up to 5 ml), the injection volume (from 1 µl up to 10 µl) and the sensitivity of the analytical equipment (e.g. linear range from 2 pg up to 2 ng amine). The range of application can be expected to be from approximately 0,002 µg/m³ (100 l sample) up to 2 000 µg/m³ (5 l sample) for a common analytical equipment¹ for the majority of the amines listed in Annex A. The analysis of derivatives of ethanolamine is usually about 10 times more sensitive and the analysis of short-chained aliphatic amines is usually about 10 times less sensitive than the analysis of an average amine.

Although primarily intended for the measurement of amines listed in Annex A, this document can also be used for the measurement of other amines in indoor air.

This document describes procedures for the fabrication and gives requirements for the use of glass tubes containing impregnated filters out of phosphoric acid-impregnated glass wool as samplers, but does not exclude other samplers with proven equal or improved properties. This document also gives procedures for the demonstration of equivalence of other sampler types or methods.

This document does not cover the determination of amines in other media like water or soil. Furthermore, it does not cover the determination of isocyanates in indoor air as corresponding amines (covered by ISO 17734‑1 and ISO 17734‑2). Quaternary amines are also not included in this document.

¹ Waters “TQ-D” is an example of a suitable product available commercially. This information is given for the convenience of users of this document and does not constitute an endorsement by ISO of this product.

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