BS EN 12341:2023

Ambient air. Standard gravimetric measurement method for the determination of the PM10 or PM2,5 mass concentration of suspended particulate matter. | Status: Current

1 Scope This document specifies a standard method for determining the PM10 or PM2,5 mass concentrations of suspended particulate matter in ambient air by sampling the particulate matter on filters and weighing them by means of a balance. Measurements are performed with samplers with inlet designs as specified in Annex A, operating at a nominal flow rate of 2,3 m3/h, over a nominal sampling period of 24 h. The method covers the determination of ambient air concentrations of specific fractions of suspended particulate matter in zones classified as rural areas, urban-background areas, traffic-orientated locations and locations influenced by industrial sources. Measurement results are expressed in µg/m3, where the volume of air is the volume at ambient conditions near the inlet at the time of sampling. The range of application of this document is for 24 h measurements from approximately 1 µg/m3 (i.e. the limit of detection of the standard measurement method expressed as its uncertainty) up to 150 µg/m3 for PM10 and 120 µg/m3 for PM2,5.

NOTE 1 Although the European Standard is not validated for higher concentrations, its range of application could well be extended to ambient air concentrations up to circa 200 µg/m3 when using suitable filter materials (see 5.1.5.2).

This document specifies procedures and gives requirements for the testing and use of so-called sequential samplers, equipped with a filter changer, suitable for extended stand-alone operation. Sequential samplers are commonly used throughout the European Union for the measurement of concentrations in ambient air of PM10 or PM2,5. However, this document does not exclude the use of single-filter samplers.

NOTE 2 Older versions of samplers, which conform to previous versions of EN 12341 [2 and 21], can still be used to evaluate equivalence of candidate methods, using the procedures described in EN 16450 [5] and in [11]. As newer versions of samplers tested under this document become available, discontinue the use of older reference samplers in EN 16450 and in [11]. Type testing reports of equivalent methods are still valid if they were commissioned prior to the availability of type approved reference samplers tested under this document.

This document also provides guidance for the selection and testing of filters with the aim of reducing the measurement uncertainty of the results obtained when applying this document.