LCS Laboratory offers air quality tests for diisocyanates (isocyanates) monomers in vapor and mist. Your sampling kit from our laboratory includes personal air sampling pumps, sampling cassettes, and cassette holders. We offer full technical support for your project. When the samples are collected we will analyze them in our Industrial Hygiene Laboratory using the OSHA 42/47 method, and report the results with full compliance of the AIHA standards.
MDI – 4’4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate
Isocyanate is a technical term used for a group of organic diisocyanates. Hundreds of different isocyanates are produced and used by the polymer industry worldwide. At the same time these four most common diisocyanates represent 95% f the market:
- Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)
- Toluene diisocyanate (TDI)
- Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI)
- Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI)
The isocyanate group (-N=C=O) is very reactive, which makes diisocyanates good catalysts in production of polymers, rubber, and high quality automotive paint. Diisocyanates are extremely toxic and are often linked to skin irritation, allergy and asthma cases. Diisocyanate related allergic reaction, occurs with redness, rash, itching, swelling or blisters at the point of contact or elsewhere in the body. Concentration of isocyanates in air cannot exceed 5 ppb (TWA, ONTARIO REGULATION 490/09, 2013)
Gilian Pump with cassette
Diisocyanates can be easily monitored and controlled. The most affordable and widely accepted testing method is the OSHA 47 sampling procedure. You can collect anywhere from 60 to 240 litres of air at 1 L/min. The sample is collected on a glass fiber filter spiked with 1-(2-pyridyl) piperazine, with plays the role of chemical derivatizer. Samples should be collected on “open face cassettes” to ensure that mist and dust are fully captured. The derivatizer reacts with isocyanate from air and turns it into a nonvolatile and stable compound. Our laboratory extracts diisocyanates from the filter and analyzes them using High Performance Liquid Chromatography.
LCS Laboratory will send you all equipment, fully charged, calibrated and ready for sampling.
Before you email us to order your sampling kit, please decide on how many samples you want to collect. The scope of work depends on size of production and workload. Typically, our clients collect between 3 and 15 samples of isocyanates. Please email us for a free quote or download our pricelist.
