ASTM D6561-06(2016)

1.1 This test method covers the determination of aerosol hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in air samples collected from workplace and ambient atmospheres. The method described in this test method collects separate fractions. One fraction will be dominated by vapor, and the other fraction will be dominated by aerosol. It is not known at the present time whether this represents a perfect separation of vapor and aerosol, and in any case, there are not separate exposure standards for vapor and aerosol. Therefore, in comparing the results for isocyanate against a standard, results from the two fractions should be combined to give a single total value. The reason for splitting the sample into two fractions is to increase analytic sensitivity for the vapor fraction and also to give the hygienist or ventilation engineer some information concerning the likely state of the isocyanate species. The analyses of the two fractions are different, and are provided in separate, linked, standards to avoid confusion. This test method is principally used to determine short term exposure (15 min) of HDI in workplace environments for personal monitoring or in ambient air. The analysis of the vapor fraction is performed separately, as described in Test Method D6562.