scope:

Introduction

Metals, metalloids and their compounds enter the ambient air, amongst others, from combustion plants (oil, coil, waste) and during their manufacture (smelting) and processing. Under the influence of chemical reactions, adsorptions and condensation the major portion is transported as inorganic compounds in particulate form or deposited on particles. Depending on the particle size they are recorded as components of the suspended particulate matter or of the dust deposition.

The individual parts of this guideline describe complete methods for determining the aforementioned metals and metalloids in the suspended particulate matter and in the dust deposition. Any filter-passing material that may be present is not taken into consideration when determining the concentration in the suspended particulate matter. The selection of components to be determined was based on the elements listed in the Seventeenth Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (17th BimSchV) [G1] or the Technical Instruction on Air Quality Control (TA Luft) [G2]. The parts of the guideline that have been published to date are summarised in Table 1.

In this guideline a complete measurement method for determining the total contents of elements in the dust deposition is presented. Dust deposition within the meaning of this guideline denotes the dry residue of the atmospheric particulate matter input collected in a collecting vessel (so-called collecting pot) during the exposure period. The substance input of the metal and metalloid compounds bound to dust particles and contained in the precipitated water from the atmosphere into the collecting system is brought about by sedimentation. Typical deposition ranges are listed in Table 2. The selection of components to be determined was based e.g. on the elements listed in the 17th BImSchV [G1] and with reference to a number of relevant elements for the balancing of substance inputs in eco-systems.

The limits of detection that can be attained with the measurement method described in this guideline (see Section 6.3) allow also a number of elements to be determined in rural areas with low exposure levels.