ISO 16703:2004

ISO 16703:2004 specifies a method for the quantitative determination of the mineral oil (hydrocarbon) content in field-moist soil samples by gas chromatography. The method is applicable to mineral oil contents (mass fraction) between 100 mg/kg and 10 000 mg/kg soil, expressed as dry matter, and can be adapted to lower detection limits. ISO 16703:2004 is applicable to the determination of all hydrocarbons with a boiling range of 175 °C to 525 °C, n-alkanes from C10H22 to C40H82, isoalkanes, cycloalkanes, alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes and polycyclic aromatic compounds, provided that they are not absorbed on the specified column during the clean-up procedure. ISO 16703:2004 is not applicable to the quantitative determination of hydrocarbons 10 originating from gasolines. On the basis of the peak pattern of the gas chromatogram obtained, and of the boiling points of the individual n-alkanes listed in Annex B, the approximate boiling range of the mineral oil and some qualitative information on the composition of the contamination can be achieved.