ISO 16000-31:2014

Overview

ISO 16000-31:2014 defines a laboratory test method for measuring phosphoric acid esters - a class of organophosphorus compounds used as flame retardants and plasticizers - in indoor air and test chamber air. The standard specifies sampling, sample preparation, calibration and analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and describes both low‑resolution (LR‑MS) and high‑resolution (HR‑MS) mass spectrometric approaches. It is focused on air monitoring and test chamber emissions and is explicitly not suitable for measuring these compounds in materials.

Key technical topics and requirements

• Target analytes: Common halogen‑free and halogenated phosphoric acid esters (e.g., TPP, TBEP, TBP, TEHP, CDP, TEP, TCP; and halogenated TCEP, TCPP, TDCPP), plus bridged diphosphates (RDP, BDP) are covered.
• Sampling scope: Procedures for sampling indoor air and test chamber air, including apparatus and sampling strategy tailored to differing volatilities and emission scenarios.
• Sample preparation: Guidelines for handling, storage and preparation of collected air samples prior to GC/MS analysis.
• Analysis methods: Detailed workflows for identification and quantification using GC/LR‑MS and GC/HR‑MS, including calibration, internal standards and interpretation of results.
• Calibration & QA: Requirements for internal standard solutions, calibration solutions (for LR and HR systems), performance characteristics and quality assurance to ensure reliable quantification.
• Performance & interferences: Section on analytical performance characteristics, method sensitivity and potential interferences to consider during method implementation.
• Normative references: Integrates with other ISO 16000 series documents (e.g., ISO 16000‑1, ‑6, ‑9, ‑13) for sampling strategy and complementary analyses.

Practical applications

• Routine monitoring of indoor environments (homes, offices, public buildings) for organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers.
• Emission testing of building products and furnishings in test chambers to evaluate release rates under controlled conditions.
• Exposure assessment for occupational hygiene, indoor air quality studies, epidemiology and risk assessment.
• Research labs developing or validating analytical methods for phosphoric acid esters using GC/MS.
• Regulatory and compliance testing where air concentrations of organophosphates are being evaluated against guideline values.

Who should use this standard

• Environmental and indoor‑air testing laboratories
• Building scientists and product testing facilities
• Occupational hygienists and public health researchers
• Manufacturers and compliance teams conducting emission testing
• Regulators setting or enforcing indoor air quality criteria

Related standards

• ISO 16000‑1 (sampling strategy)
• ISO 16000‑6 (volatile compounds analysis; complementary for more volatile organophosphates)
• ISO 16000‑9 and ISO 16000‑13 (test chamber methods and related compound classes)

Keywords: ISO 16000-31, indoor air, phosphoric acid ester, organophosphorus compounds, flame retardants, plasticizers, GC/MS, LR‑MS, HR‑MS, TCEP, TCPP, TBEP, TPP.