ISO 16000-37:2019

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 16000-37
First edition
2019-02
Indoor air —
Part 37:
Measurement of PM mass
2,5
concentration
Air intérieur —
Partie 37: Mesure de la concentration massique en PM
2,5
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
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ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Abbreviated terms . 3
5 Measurement strategy for determing PM indoors . 3
2,5
5.1 Location and number of sampling points . 3
5.2 Measurement strategy for source attribution . 4
5.3 Indoor air condition . 4
6 Principle of measurement . 4
6.1 General considerations . 4
6.2 Description of the standard measuring principle . 4
7 Equipment and facilities. 5
7.1 Sampling system components . 5
7.2 Weighing facilities and procedure . 5
8 Supplementary high time resolution method . 5
8.1 General . 5
8.2 Selection of the supplementary instrument . 6
8.3 Supplementary procedure . 6
9 Evaluation and reporting the results . 6
10 Quality assurance and uncertainty evaluation . 7
10.1 Reference method . 7
10.1.1 General. 7
10.1.2 Flow control system . 7
10.1.3 Weighing system . 7
10.1.4 Checking the equipment’s parameters . 7
10.2 Supplementary methods . 8
Annex A (informative) Examples of particle concentrations encountered during room user
activities . 9
Bibliography .11
Foreword
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 146, Air quality, Subcommittee SC 6,
Indoor air.
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iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Airborne particulate matter (colloquially known as “fine dust”) plays a role not only outdoors, but is
also significant in terms of hygiene, especially indoors. People in industrialized countries spend most
of the day indoors. Either particles are transported into indoor air from outdoor environments or the
particles directly result from indoor sources, such as smoking, residential wood burning and cooking.
PM concentration and composition in indoor environments strongly depend on parameters such as
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the room size, relative humidity, air exchange rate, airflow conditions and sink effects on surfaces (e.g.
walls, ceilings, floor coverings, furnishings). In addition, particles already sedimented are temporarily
resuspended to the air through various activities and can be inhaled. All this can result in highly
variable levels of indoor PM pollution that are not easily ascertained or assessed in terms of their
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impacts on health.
This document describes the general strategies for the measurement of indoor PM concentration.
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This document was prepared in response to the need for improved comparability of methods for
particle measurement.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 16000-37:2019(E)
Indoor air —
Part 37:
Measurement of PM mass concentration
2,5
1 Scope
This document specifies the measurement methods and strategies for determining the PM mass
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concentrations of suspended particulate matter (PM) in indoor air. It can also be used for determining
PM mass concentration.
The reference method principle consists of collecting PM on a filter after separation of the particles
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by an impaction head and weighing them by means of a balance.
Measurement procedure and main requirements are similar to the conditions specified in EN 12341.
This document also specifies procedures for operating appropriate supplementary high time resolution
instruments, which can be used to highlight peak emission, room investigation and as part of the
quality control of the reference method.
Quality assurance, determination of the measurement uncertainty and minimal reporting information
are also part of this document.
The lower range of application of this document is 2 µg/m of PM (i.e. the limit of detection of the
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standard measurement method expressed as its uncertainty).
This document does not cover the determination of bioaerosols or the chemical characterization of
particles. For the measurement and assessment of dust composition, see the relevant technical rules in
the International Standards in the ISO 16000 series.
This document does not cover passenger compartments of vehicles and public transport systems.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 12341, Ambient air — Standard gravimetric measurement method for the determination of the PM or
PM mass concentration of suspensed particulate matter
2,5
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https: //www .iso .org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https: //www .electropedia .org/
3.1
aerodynamic diameter
−3
diameter of a sphere of density 1 g cm and the same setting velocity in still air as the particle of
interest under prevailing conditions of temperature, pressure and relative humidity
Note 1 to entry: The aerodynamic diameter is calculated using the formula:

p
DD
ap
 
where
D is the aerodynamic diameter;
a
D is the particle diameter;
p
ρ is the density of the particle;
p
ρ is the standard density;
χ is the form factor.
Note 2 to entry: The form factor describes by how much the resisting force of an irregular shaped particle is
[10]
greater than that of a sphere with the same volume .
Note 3 to entry: The aerodynamic diameter determines the sedimentation and the separation properties of
particles in impactors. It is also of particular importance for penetrative behaviour and the retention of particles
in the human body.
Note 4 to entry: Various definitions are used for the particle diameter, depending on the measurement method.
These different diameters are only indirectly comparable since different particle properties are being measured,
e.g. geometric diameter, diameter according to dielectric mobility, diameter according to light scattering
properties.
[SOURCE: ISO 7708:1995, 2.2, modified — “particle” has been removed from the term, the definition has
been reworded, and the original Note 1 to entry has been replaced by Notes 1 to 4 to entry.]
3.3
mass concentration
c
ratio of the mass m of the measured component and the gas volume V, as shown by:
m
c=
V
[SOURCE: EN 15259:2007, 3.26]
3.4
particle
small discrete mass or solid or liquid matter
[SOURCE: ISO 29464:2017, 3.2.111]
3.5
PM
x
particulate matter suspended in air which is small enough to pass through a size-selective in
...