ASTM D5197 Test for Determination of Formaldehyde and Other Carbonyl Compounds in Air

EUROLAB, with its state-of-the-art accredited laboratories and expert team, provides precise and fast testing services within the scope of ASTM D5197 testing. This standard provides a procedure for the determination of formaldehyde (HCHO) and other carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and ketones) in air. Other carbonyl compounds successfully quantified by this method include acetaldehyde, acetone, propanal (propionaldehyde), 2-butanone (methyl ethyl ketone), butyraldehyde, benzaldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, valeraldehyde, o-tolualdehyde, m-tolualdehyde, p-tolualdehyde, p-tolualdehyde, p-tolualdehyde, tolualdehyde is found.

This test method involves drawing air from a cartridge containing silica gel coated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) reagent. Carbonyl compounds easily form stable derivatives with the DNPH reagent. DNPH derivatives are analyzed for major aldehydes and ketones using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The sampling procedure is a modification of US EPA Method TO-11A.

The sampling method yields a time-weighted average (TWA) sample. It can be used for long-term (1 to 24 hours) or short-term (5 to 60 minutes) air sampling for formaldehyde. Shorter sampling times or lower flow rates will result in higher detection limits and may result in larger differences in co-located sampler results.

This test method instructs the user on how to prepare 3 sampling cartridges from commercially available chromatographic grade silica gel cartridges by applying acidified DNPH to each cartridge.

The sampling flow rate described in this test method has been validated for sample rates up to 1,5 L/min for formaldehyde. This flow rate limitation is mainly due to the high pressure drop (>55 kPa at 105 L/min) across user-made silica gel cartridges with particle sizes of 1.0 to 8 µm. These cartridges are generally not compatible with battery-operated pumps used in personal sampling equipment (for example, those used by industrial hygienists).

Alternatively, pre-coated DNPH silica gel cartridges are also commercially available and can be substituted provided they show equivalent performance. Some of these use silica gel with larger particle size resulting in a lower pressure drop across the cartridge. These low pressure drop cartridges may be more suitable for air sampling using battery operated personal sampling pumps.

EUROLAB assists manufacturers with ASTM D5197 test compliance. Our test experts, with their professional working mission and principles, provide you, our manufacturers and suppliers, the best service and controlled testing process in our laboratories. Thanks to these services, businesses receive more effective, high-performance and quality testing services and provide safe, fast and uninterrupted service to their customers.