ISO 10121-2:2013 aims to provide an objective test method to estimate the performance of any full size gas filtration device (GPACD) for general filtration regardless of media or technique used in the device. In fact, the goal of this part of ISO 10121 is to avoid relating the test data to internal parameters altogether. The benefit with this approach is that customers of GPACDs will be able to concentrate on price/performance and suppliers will have access to a normative and objective test standard that will not require the release of proprietary information or reverse engineering of the product.

To ensure objectivity for test equipment suppliers, no specific design of the test apparatus is specified. Instead requirements of apparatus properties and validation tests are specified. However, different design examples in present use are outlined. ISO 10121-2:2013 can also be used with technologies such as scrubbers, absorbers, non-sorptive devices or packed columns as long as they fit into the test apparatus, can be meaningfully judged by the test method and are intended for general ventilation applications, both residential and non residential. Nuclear and military applications are specifically excluded.