BS EN 16637-3:2023

Construction products: Assessment of release of dangerous substances. Horizontal up-flow percolation test | Status: Current

1 Scope This document specifies an up-flow percolation test (PT) which is applicable to determine the leaching behaviour of inorganic and non-volatile organic substances from granular construction products. The test is not suitable for substances that are volatile under ambient conditions. The construction products are subjected to percolation with water as a function of liquid to solid ratio under specified percolation conditions. The method is a once-through column leaching test.

NOTE 1 Volatile organic substances include the low molecular weight substances in mixtures such as mineral oil.

This up-flow percolation test is performed under specified test conditions for construction products and does not necessarily produce results that mimic specific intended use conditions. This test method produces eluates, which can subsequently be characterized by physical, chemical and ecotoxicological methods according to existing standard methods. The results of eluate analysis are presented as a function of the liquid/solid ratio. The test results enable the distinction between different leaching behaviour.

NOTE 2 It is not always possible to adjust test conditions simultaneously for inorganic and organic substances. Test conditions can also vary between different groups of organic substances. Test conditions for organic substances are generally more stringent than those for inorganic substances. The test conditions are generally described in a way that they fit testing organic substances and are also applicable to inorganic substances depending on the set-up.

NOTE 3 For ecotoxicity testing, eluates representing the release of both inorganic and organic substances are needed. In this document, ecotoxicological testing is meant to include also genotoxicological testing.

NOTE 4 Construction products with a low hydraulic conductivity that can cause detrimental pressure build-up are not supposed to be subjected to this test.

NOTE 5 This procedure is generally not applicable to products that are easily biologically degradable and products reacting with the leachant, leading, for example, to excessive gas emission or excessive heat release, impermeable hydraulically bound products or products that swell in contact with water.

In this document the same test conditions as for EN 17516 (CEN/TC 444/WG 1) are applied in order to allow full comparability of testing construction products and waste derived construction products to avoid double testing. The EN 17516 test results are eligible in the context of testing construction products as well.

NOTE 6 If a leaching test according to EN 17516 has been performed, additional EN 16637‑3 testing does not need to be carried out.