UNE-EN 17503:2022

This document specifies different methods for quantitative determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (see Table 2) in soil, sludge, sediment, treated biowaste, and waste, using GC-MS or HPLC-UV-DAD/FLD covering a wide range of PAH contamination levels (see Table 2).

When using fluorescence detection, acenaphthylene cannot be measured.



Table 2 Target analytes of this document

Target analyte CAS-RNa

Naphthalene 91 20 3

Acenaphthene 83 32 9

Acenaphthylene 208 96 8

Fluorene 86 73 7

Anthracene 120 12 7

Phenanthrene 85 01 8

Fluoranthene 206 44 0

Pyrene 129 00 0

Benz[a]anthracene 56 55 3

Chrysene 218 01 9

Benzo[b]fluoranthene 205 99 2

Benzo[k]fluoranthene 207 08 9

Benzo[a]pyrene 50 32 8

Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene 193 39 5

Dibenz[a,h]anthracene 53 70 3

Benzo[ghi]perylene 191 24 2

a CAS-RN Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number.



The limit of detection depends on the determinants, the equipment used, the quality of chemicals used for the extraction of the sample and the clean-up of the extract.

Under the conditions specified in this document, lower limit of application from 10 ¼g/kg (expressed as dry matter) for soils, sludge and biowaste to 100 ¼g/kg (expressed as dry matter) for solid waste can be achieved. For some specific samples (e.g. bitumen) the limit of 100 ¼g/kg cannot be reached.



Sludge, waste and treated biowaste may differ in properties as well as in the expec

ted contamination levels of PAH and presence of interfering substances. These differences make it impossible to describe one general procedure. This document contains decision tables based on the properties of the sample and the extraction and clean-up procedure to be used.

The method can be applied to the analysis of other PAH not specified in the scope, provided suitability is proven by proper in-house validation experiments.