This International Standard describes a procedure for sampling and determining concentrations of total nonmethane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) in the ambient atmosphere.

This International Standard describes the collection of cumulative samples in passivated stainless steel canisters and subsequent laboratory analysis. It describes a procedure for sampling in canisters at final pressures above atmospheric pressure (referred to as pressurized sampling). It employs a cryogenic trapping procedure for concentration of the NMVOC prior to analysis.

This International Standard describes the determination of the NMVOC by simple flame ionization detection (FID), without the gas chromatographic columns and complex procedures necessary for species separation.

This International Standard is applicable to carbon concentrations in the range from 20 ppbC to 10000 ppbC. See 12.4 for procedures for lowering the range.

Several variations to the method described in this International Standard are also possible; see clause 12.