Method for the determination of carbon monoxide in workplace air using a non‐dispersive infrared gas measurement device (NDIR)
Air Monitoring Method
Anastasia Gluschko1Thomas Helmut Brock2
Ralph Hebisch3
Andrea Hartwig4
MAK Commission5
1 Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (IFA), Alte Heerstraße 111, 53757 Sankt Augustin, Germany
2 German Social Accident Insurance, Institution for the raw materials and chemical industry, Prevention - Department of Hazardous Substances, Biological Agents and Analytical Chemistry, Kurfürsten-Anlage 62, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
3 Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Friedrich-Henkel-Weg 1–25, 44149 Dortmund, Germany
4 Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
5 Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Abstract
This analytical method is a validated procedure for the determination of carbon monoxide in workplace air after personal or stationary sampling. Portable, electrically‐powered gas measurement devices with integrated air sampling are used. The sample flow rate is set to 0.5 or 2.0 L/min. The air sample is transferred to the measurement cell by means of an internal sampling pump. Measurement is carried out by comparison of the IR signals of a concentration‐dependent measurement cuvette and the IR signal of the sealed reference cuvette. The current CO concentration is calculated electronically from the respective differences of these cuvettes and then immediately displayed as the measurement result for the CO concentration. This method is suitable for measurement at the workplace over long time periods as well as for short‐term measurements. Also readings of the current CO concentration can be taken any time. The limit of quantification (LOQ) is 1.6 ppm in the measurement range of 0 to 100 ppm.
Joint Publication of the Analytical Subcommittee of the Chemistry Board of Experts of the Expert Committee Raw Materials and Chemical Industry of the German Social Accident Insurance and the working group “Air Analyses” of the Permanent Senate Commission of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area.
