ISO 9562:2004 specifies a method for the direct determination of an amount of usually 10 micrograms per litre in water of organically bound chlorine, bromine and iodine (expressed as chloride) adsorbable on activated carbon.

This method is applicable to test samples with concentrations of inorganic chloride ions of less than 1 g/l. Samples with higher concentrations are diluted prior to analysis.

This method is also applicable to samples containing suspended solids where halogens are adsorbed onto the solid matter (e.g. insoluble halides). Filtration of the sample before analysis allows the separate determination of dissolved and particulate adsorbable organically bound halogens (AOX).

Filtered samples with high inorganic chloride content can be analysed by a modified method [dissolved adsorbable organically bound halogens after solid phase extraction in waters with high salt content (SPE-AOX)]. However, results obtained by this modified method can differ significantly from those of the required method.