Phosphoryl Trichloride-Method of Determination in Workplace Air

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Monitoring

Background:

• Phosphoryl trichloride (POCl3) is an industrial chemical with potential workplace exposure risks.
• Accurate monitoring of POCl3 in ambient air is crucial for assessing occupational hazards.
• Existing methods may lack the sensitivity or specificity required for workplace air analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a reliable analytical method for quantifying phosphoryl trichloride in workplace air.
• To establish a method compliant with international standards for occupational exposure assessment.
• To provide a tool for industrial hygienists to monitor worker exposure to POCl3.

Main Methods:

• Air sampling using sodium carbonate-impregnated quartz fiber filters.
• Extraction of collected phosphoryl trichloride with ultrapure water, leading to hydrolysis into chloride ions.
• Quantification of chloride ions via ion chromatography with conductometric detection.

Main Results:

• The developed method accurately determines phosphoryl trichloride in the concentration range of 0.004 to 0.160 mg/m³.
• Validation demonstrated good results, meeting all requirements of the PN-EN 482 standard.
• The method is specific, with noted interferences from phosphorus trichloride, hydrochloric acid, and its salts.

Conclusions:

• A validated method for determining phosphoryl trichloride in workplace air has been successfully developed.
• This analytical technique is suitable for assessing occupational exposure to phosphoryl trichloride.
• Compliance with PN-EN 482 ensures the reliability and applicability of the method in industrial settings.