prEN 16637-3

Construction products: Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Part 3: Horizontal up-flow percolation test

(1) This document specifies an up-flow percolation test (PT) which is applicable to determine the leaching behaviour of inorganic and non-volatile organic substances from granular construction products. The test is not suitable for substances that are volatile under ambient conditions. The construction products are subjected to percolation with water as a function of liquid to solid ratio under specified percolation conditions. The method is a once-through column leaching test.
(2) This up-flow percolation test is performed under specified test conditions for construction products and does not necessarily produce results that mimic specific intended use conditions. This test method produces eluates, which can subsequently be characterized by physical, chemical and ecotoxicological methods according to existing standard methods. The results of eluate analysis are presented as a function of the liquid/solid ratio. The test results enable the distinction between different leaching behaviour.
NOTE 1   Volatile organic substances include the low molecular weight substances in mixtures such as mineral oil.
NOTE 2   It is not always possible to adjust test conditions simultaneously for inorganic and organic substances. Test conditions can also vary between different groups of organic substances. Test conditions for organic substances are generally more stringent than those for inorganic substances. The test conditions are generally described in a way that they fit testing organic substances and are also applicable to inorganic substances depending on the set-up.
NOTE 3   For ecotoxicity testing, eluates representing the release of both inorganic and organic substances are needed. In this document, ecotoxicological testing is meant to include also genotoxicological testing.
NOTE 4   Construction products with a low hydraulic conductivity that can cause detrimental pressure build-up are not supposed to be subjected to this test.
NOTE 5   This procedure is generally not applicable to products that are easily biologically degradable and products reacting with the leachant, leading, for example, to excessive gas emission or excessive heat release, impermeable hydraulically bound products or products that swell in contact with water.
(3) In this document the same test conditions as for prEN 17516 (CEN/TC 444/WG 1) are applied in order to allow full comparability of testing construction products and waste derived construction products to avoid double testing. The prEN 17516 test results are eligible in the context of testing construction products as well.
NOTE 6   If a leaching test according to prEN 17516 has been performed, additional prEN 16637 3 testing does not need to be carried out.

Bauprodukte - Bewertung der Freisetzung von gefährlichen Stoffen - Teil 3: Horizontale Perkolationsprüfung im Aufwärtsstrom

(1) Dieses Dokument gibt eine Perkolationsprüfung im Aufwärtsstrom an, die geeignet ist, das Auslaugverhalten von anorganischen und nicht flüchtigen organischen Stoffen aus granularen Bauprodukten zu bestimmen. Die Prüfung eignet sich nicht für Stoffe, die unter Umgebungsbedingungen flüchtig sind. Die Bauprodukte werden unter bestimmten Perkolationsbedingungen einer Perkolation mit Wasser als Funktion des Flüssigkeits-/Feststoffverhältnisses ausgesetzt. Bei diesem Verfahren handelt es sich um eine Durchfluss-Säulen-Auslaugprüfung.
(2) Diese Perkolationsprüfung im Aufwärtsstrom wird unter festgelegten Prüfbedingungen für Bauprodukte durchgeführt. Sie liefert nicht zwingend Ergebnisse, die die spezifischen bestimmungsgemäßen Verwendungsbedingungen nachbilden. Bei diesem Prüfverfahren werden Eluate erzeugt, die anschließend anhand von physikalischen, chemischen und ökotoxikologischen Verfahren nach vorhandenen Standardverfahren charakterisiert werden können. Die Ergebnisse der Eluatanalyse werden als Funktion des Flüssigkeits-/ Feststoffverhältnisses dargestellt. Die Prüfungsergebnisse ermöglichen die Unterscheidung zwischen verschiedenen Auslaugverhalten.
ANMERKUNG 1   Flüchtige organische Stoffe umfassen auch niedermolekulare Stoffe in Mischungen wie z. B. Mineralöl.
ANMERKUNG 2   Es ist nicht immer möglich die Prüfbedingungen für anorganische und organische Stoffe gleichzeitig anzupassen. Die Prüfbedingungen können auch zwischen verschiedenen Gruppen organischer Stoffe voneinander abweichen. Die Prüfbedingungen für organische Stoffe sind im Allgemeinen strenger angelegt als die für anorganische Stoffe. Die Prüfbedingungen werden üblicherweise so beschrieben, dass sie sowohl für organische Stoffe als auch – je nach Prüfvorrichtung – für anorganische Stoffe verwendet werden können.
ANMERKUNG 3   Bei einer Ökotoxizitätsprüfung werden Eluate benötigt, die die Freisetzung sowohl von anorganischen Stoffen als auch von organischen Stoffen repräsentieren. Für die Anwendung dieses Dokuments schließen ökotoxikologische Prüfungen auch genotoxikologische Prüfungen mit ein.
ANMERKUNG 4   Für Bauprodukte mit niedriger hydraulischer Leitfähigkeit, die zu einem nachteiligen Druckaufbau führen können, ist diese Prüfung nicht vorgesehen.
ANMERKUNG 5   Dieses Verfahren gilt im Allgemeinen nicht für Produkte, die biologisch leicht abbaubar sind oder mit dem Auslaugmittel reagieren, beispielsweise durch übermäßige Gasemission oder starke Wärmeabgabe, die Bildung von undurchlässigen, hydraulisch gebundenen Produkten oder von Produkten, die bei Kontakt mit Wasser aufquellen.
(3) In diesem Dokument werden dieselben Prüfbedingungen wie in prEN 17516 (CEN/TC 444/WG 1) angewandt, um die vollständige Vergleichbarkeit der Prüfungen von Bauprodukten und aus Abfällen gewonnenen Bauprodukten zu gewährleisten und doppelte Prüfungen zu vermeiden. Die Prüfergebnisse nach prEN 17516 sind im Zusammenhang mit Bauproduktprüfungen ebenfalls anwendbar.
ANMERKUNG 6   Falls eine Auslaugprüfung nach prEN 17516 durchgeführt wurde, muss keine zusätzliche Prüfung nach prEN 16637 3 erfolgen.

Produits de construction - Évaluation du relargage de substances dangereuses - Partie 3 : Essai horizontal de percolation à écoulement ascendant

(1) Le présent document spécifie un essai de percolation (PT) à écoulement ascendant qui est applicable pour déterminer le comportement à la lixiviation des substances organiques non volatiles et inorganiques issues de produits de construction granulaires. L’essai n’est pas adapté aux substances qui sont volatiles dans des conditions ambiantes. Les produits de construction sont soumis à une percolation à l’eau en fonction du rapport liquide/solide, dans des conditions de percolation spécifiées. La méthode consiste en un essai de lixiviation en colonne avec passage unique.
(2) Cet essai de percolation à écoulement ascendant est réalisé dans des conditions d’essai spécifiées pour les produits de construction et ne fournit pas nécessairement des résultats qui reflètent des conditions d’utilisation prévue spécifiques. Cette méthode d’essai produit des éluats qui peuvent ensuite être caractérisés par des méthodes physiques, chimiques et écotoxicologiques selon des méthodes normalisées existantes. Les résultats de l’analyse des éluats sont présentés en fonction du rapport liquide/solide. Les résultats d’essai permettent de faire la distinction entre les différents comportements de lixiviation.
NOTE 1 Les substances organiques volatiles incluent les substances de faible masse moléculaire contenues dans des mélanges tels que les huiles minérales.
NOTE 2 Il n’est pas toujours possible d’ajuster les conditions d’essai à la fois pour les substances organiques et les substances inorganiques. Les conditions d’essai peuvent également varier entre les différents groupes de substances organiques. Les conditions d’essai pour les substances organiques sont généralement plus strictes que celles applicables aux substances inorganiques. Les conditions d’essai sont généralement décrites de sorte à être adaptées à l’essai de substances organiques, ainsi qu’à celui de substances inorganiques en fonction de la configuration.
NOTE 3 Pour la réalisation des essais d’écotoxicité, des éluats représentant le relargage à la fois de substances inorganiques et organiques sont nécessaires. Dans le présent document, les essais écotoxicologiques englobent aussi les essais génotoxicologiques.
NOTE 4 Les produits de construction de faible conductivité hydraulique susceptibles de provoquer une accumulation de pression préjudiciable ne sont pas destinés à être soumis à cet essai.
NOTE 5 Ce mode opératoire n’est généralement applicable ni aux produits qui sont facilement biodégradables, ni aux produits qui réagissent avec le lixiviant, ce qui entraîne, par exemple, une émission de gaz excessive ou un dégagement de chaleur excessif, ni aux liants hydrauliques non perméables, ni aux produits qui gonflent au contact de l’eau.
(3) Dans le présent document, des conditions d’essai identiques à celles présentées dans le prEN 17516 (CEN/TC 444/GT 1) sont appliquées afin de garantir une comparaison parfaite des produits de construction et des produits de construction issus de déchets et ainsi d’éviter d’avoir à reproduire les essais. Les résultats d’essai du prEN 17516 sont également valables dans le contexte des essais des produits de construction.
NOTE 6 Si un essai de lixiviation conformément au prEN 17516 a été réalisé, il n’est pas nécessaire de procéder aux essais supplémentaires du prEN 16637 3.

Gradbeni proizvodi - Ocenjevanje sproščanja nevarnih snovi - 3. del: Horizontani preskus precejanja v koloni s tokom navzgor

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 09-Feb-2022
• Withdrawal Date: 09-May-2022
• ICS: 91.100.01 - Construction materials in general
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 351 - Construction Products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 351/WG 1 - Release from construction products into soil, ground water and surface water
• Directive: 305/2011 - Regulation (eu) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 march 2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing council directive 89/106/eec
• Mandate: M/366 - Concerning the execution of standardisation work for the development of horizontal standardised assessment methods for harmonized approcaches relating to dangerous substances under the construction products directive (CPD)
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021 - Construction products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Part 3: Horizontal up-flow percolation test

Relations

• Revises: CEN/TS 16637-3:2016 - Construction products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Part 3: Horizontal up-flow percolation test
• Effective Date: 19-Jan-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
01-marec-2021
Gradbeni proizvodi - Ocenjevanje sproščanja nevarnih snovi - 3. del: Horizontani
preskus precejanja v koloni s tokom navzgor
Construction products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Part 3:
Horizontal up-flow percolation test

Bauprodukte - Bewertung der Freisetzung von gefährlichen Stoffen - Teil 3: Horizontale

Perkolationsprüfung im Aufwärtsstrom

Produits de construction - Evaluation de l’émission de substances dangereuses - Partie

3 : Essai horizontal de percolation à l’écoulement ascendant
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 16637-3
ICS:
13.020.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi z Other standards related to
varstvom okolja environmental protection
91.100.01 Gradbeni materiali na Construction materials in
splošno general
oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021 en,fr,de

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 16637-3
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
February 2021
ICS 91.100.01 Will supersede CEN/TS 16637-3:2016
English Version
Construction products: Assessment of release of
dangerous substances - Part 3: Horizontal up-flow
percolation test
Bauprodukte - Bewertung der Freisetzung von
gefährlichen Stoffen - Teil 3: Horizontale
Perkolationsprüfung im Aufwärtsstrom

This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee

CEN/TC 351.

If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations

which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other

language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC

Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,

Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and

United Kingdom.

Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are

aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without

notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels

© 2021 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 16637-3:2021 E

worldwide for CEN national Members.
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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)
Contents Page

European foreword ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 5

1 Scope .................................................................................................................................................................... 6

2 Normative references .................................................................................................................................... 7

3 Terms and definitions ................................................................................................................................... 7

4 Symbols and abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... 10

4.1 Symbols ............................................................................................................................................................ 10

4.2 Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................................. 11

5 Principle ........................................................................................................................................................... 11

5.1 General principles ........................................................................................................................................ 11

5.2 Number of eluates ......................................................................................................................................... 12

6 Reagents ........................................................................................................................................................... 12

7 Equipment ....................................................................................................................................................... 13

8 Sample preparation ..................................................................................................................................... 14

8.1 General.............................................................................................................................................................. 14

8.2 Preparation of the test sample ................................................................................................................. 15

8.2.1 Principles ......................................................................................................................................................... 15

8.2.2 Rules of application ...................................................................................................................................... 15

8.3 Test portion .................................................................................................................................................... 16

8.4 Drying ................................................................................................................................................................ 16

8.5 Subsampling ................................................................................................................................................... 16

8.6 Sieving of samples into fractions ............................................................................................................. 16

8.7 Size reduction of particles ......................................................................................................................... 16

9 Test procedure ............................................................................................................................................... 17

9.1 Temperature................................................................................................................................................... 17

9.2 Determination of dry residue ................................................................................................................... 17

9.3 Pre-treatment of the column .................................................................................................................... 17

9.4 Packing of the column ................................................................................................................................. 17

9.4.1 General.............................................................................................................................................................. 17

9.4.2 Equilibration................................................................................................................................................... 18

9.4.3 Calculation of the flow rate ....................................................................................................................... 18

9.5 Collection of eluates ..................................................................................................................................... 18

9.6 Further preparation of the eluates for analysis ................................................................................ 21

9.7 Blank test ......................................................................................................................................................... 21

10 Evaluation of measurement results ....................................................................................................... 21

10.1 Expression of results in concentrations ............................................................................................... 21

10.2 Expression of results in terms of mass related release .................................................................. 22

11 Documentation and test report ............................................................................................................... 22

12 Test performance .......................................................................................................................................... 24

13 Indirect methods ........................................................................................................................................... 24

13.1 Definition ......................................................................................................................................................... 24

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prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)

13.2 Provisions ........................................................................................................................................................ 24

13.3 Examples of indirect methods.................................................................................................................. 25

Annex A (informative) Examples of sample preparation procedures ................................................... 26

Annex B (informative) Illustration of the column and accompanying equipment ........................... 29

Annex C (informative) Procedures for packing and saturation of the column .................................. 30

Annex D (informative) Assessment of release mechanism(s) .................................................................. 33

Annex E (informative) Summary of cumulative results for L/S = 2 and L/S = 10 .............................. 53

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................................. 69

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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)
European foreword

This document (prEN 16637-3:2021) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 351

“Construction Products: Assessment of release of dangerous substances”, the secretariat of which is

held by NEN.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede CEN/TS 16637-3:2016.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— Transfer of technical specification into European Standard;

— Addition of validation data from interlaboratory validation on repeatability and reproducibility

(see Clause 12 and Annex E);
— Addition of requirements on the number of eluates (see 5.2);

— Alignment of the test conditions with the test conditions which are specified in prEN 17516;

— Updating of normative and informative cross-references.

This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the

European Free Trade Association.
This document was elaborated on the basis of CEN/TS 14405 [1].

This document specifies an up-flow percolation test to determine the leaching behaviour of granular

construction products under standardized percolation conditions.

EN 16637, Construction products: Assessment of release of dangerous substances, consists of the

following parts:

— Part 1: Guidance for the determination of leaching tests and additional testing steps,

— Part 2: Horizontal dynamic surface leaching test,
— Part 3: Horizontal up-flow percolation test.

prEN 16637-1 deals with the determination and use of test methods for leaching of construction

products taking specific situations into account. prEN 16637-2 specifies a dynamic surface leaching test

for determination of surface dependent release of substances from monolithic or plate-like or sheet-like

construction products or granular construction products with low hydraulic conductivity under

standardized conditions.

Background information on characterization of leaching behaviour of construction products can be

found in Technical Reports provided by CEN/TC 351 (i.e. CEN/TR 16098 [2], CEN/TR 16496 [3]).

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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)
Introduction

The European Standards prEN 16637-1, prEN 16637-2 and prEN 16637-3 are developed to assess the

release of regulated dangerous substances (RDS) from construction products into soil, surface water

and groundwater in the framework of Mandate M/366. The horizontal test methods developed under

the Mandate M/366 are intended to be used to show compliance with notified regulations. The tests

cover the release of substances from construction products and in particular, those that are regulated in

notified regulations in one or more EU Member States.

prEN 16637-1 specifies how the CEN Technical Product Committees and EOTA experts should

determine the appropriate leaching test for the determination of the release of RDS from a construction

product into soil, surface water and groundwater. prEN 16637-1 gives background information for

CEN Technical Product Committees on the following aspects:

a) description of the intended conditions of use of the construction product (e.g. above ground

exposed to the precipitation, or shielded from direct infiltration, in surface or groundwater) with

respect to the release of RDS into soil, surface water and groundwater;

b) identification of main release mechanisms, and the appropriate leaching test for a given

construction product.

prEN 16637-2 specifies a horizontal test to assess surface dependent release from monolithic, plate-like

or sheet-like construction products (tank test).

prEN 16637-3 specifies a horizontal test to assess release from granular construction products.

The test methods can be used for both steps in the hierarchy (type testing (TT) and factory production

control (FPC)) and form the reference tests for the intended uses and conditions specified in

prEN 16637-1. In this hierarchy of testing conditionally “indirect tests” can be used, but are not

specified.

The release of substances upon contact with water results in a potential risk to the environment during

the intended use of construction products. The intent of these tests is to identify the leaching behaviour

of construction products and thereby allow assessments of the release of RDS from such products to

soil, surface water and groundwater under intended conditions of use in relation to CE marking and

assessment and verification of constancy of performance.

This document does not address impact assessment. However, since the test methods described in the

document may be used in the context of impact assessments and regulation based on impact

assessments, some guidance on this issue is provided in prEN 16637-1:—, Annex A (informative).

In addition to existing validation results, in 2011 CEN/TC 351 began an extensive research program on

robustness validation of the existing tank leaching and percolation tests. This was carried out by a

consortium of European experts on 20 construction products to unify differences from the protocols of

the different CEN Members and to check the influence of testing conditions on the test result (e.g.

temperature, flow rate, renewal scheme). The results ([4]) of the research program confirmed the

robustness of the horizontal tests known from former works. Conclusions from the program have been

implemented into the Technical Specifications for the test methods. The performance of the leaching

tests regarding repeatability and reproducibility was deduced from a second validation step and

respective data ([5], [6]) are included in prEN 16637-2 and in this document.
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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)
1 Scope

(1) This document specifies an up-flow percolation test (PT) which is applicable to determine the

leaching behaviour of inorganic and non-volatile organic substances from granular construction

products. The test is not suitable for substances that are volatile under ambient conditions. The

construction products are subjected to percolation with water as a function of liquid to solid ratio under

specified percolation conditions. The method is a once-through column leaching test.

(2) This up-flow percolation test is performed under specified test conditions for construction products

and does not necessarily produce results that mimic specific intended use conditions. This test method

produces eluates, which can subsequently be characterized by physical, chemical and ecotoxicological

methods according to existing standard methods. The results of eluate analysis are presented as a

function of the liquid/solid ratio. The test results enable the distinction between different leaching

behaviour.

NOTE 1 Volatile organic substances include the low molecular weight substances in mixtures such as mineral

oil.

NOTE 2 It is not always possible to adjust test conditions simultaneously for inorganic and organic substances.

Test conditions can also vary between different groups of organic substances. Test conditions for organic

substances are generally more stringent than those for inorganic substances. The test conditions are generally

described in a way that they fit testing organic substances and are also applicable to inorganic substances

depending on the set-up.

NOTE 3 For ecotoxicity testing, eluates representing the release of both inorganic and organic substances are

needed. In this document, ecotoxicological testing is meant to include also genotoxicological testing.

NOTE 4 Construction products with a low hydraulic conductivity that can cause detrimental pressure build-up

are not supposed to be subjected to this test.

NOTE 5 This procedure is generally not applicable to products that are easily biologically degradable and

products reacting with the leachant, leading, for example, to excessive gas emission or excessive heat release,

impermeable hydraulically bound products or products that swell in contact with water.

(3) In this document the same test conditions as for prEN 17516 (CEN/TC 444/WG 1) are applied in

order to allow full comparability of testing construction products and waste derived construction

products to avoid double testing. The prEN 17516 test results are eligible in the context of testing

construction products as well.

NOTE 6 If a leaching test according to prEN 17516 has been performed, additional prEN 16637-3 testing does

not need to be carried out.
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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)
2 Normative references

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content

constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For

undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

EN 933-1, Tests for geometrical properties of aggregates - Part 1: Determination of particle size

distribution - Sieving method

EN 15934, Sludge, treated biowaste, soil and waste - Calculation of dry matter fraction after

determination of dry residue or water content

prEN 16637-1, Construction products: Assessment of release of dangerous substances – Part 1: Guidance

for the determination of leaching tests and additional testing steps (under development)

CEN/TS 17195, Construction products: Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Analysis of

inorganic substances in eluates

EN ISO 3696:1995, Water for analytical laboratory use - Specification and test methods (ISO 3696:1987)

EN ISO 5667-3, Water quality - Sampling - Part 3: Preservation and handling of water samples

(ISO 5667-3)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
eluate
solution obtained from a leaching test
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.7]
3.2
granular product

product composed of solid particles with a particle size smaller than a specified size or grading

Note 1 to entry: Granular products are usually tested by a percolation test.
3.3
laboratory sample
sample or sub-sample(s) sent to or received by the laboratory

Note 1 to entry: When the laboratory sample is further prepared by subdividing, cutting, sawing, coring, drying,

grinding, mixing, curing or by combinations of these operations, the result is the test sample. When no preparation

of the laboratory sample is required, the laboratory sample is the test sample. A test portion is removed from the

test sample for the performance of the test or for analysis.

Note 2 to entry: The laboratory sample is the final sample from the point of view of sample collection but it is the

initial sample from the point of view of the laboratory.
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 3.2.1]
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oSIST prEN 16637-3:2021
prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)
3.4
leachant

liquid that is brought into contact with the test portion in the leaching procedure

Note 1 to entry: Usually, demineralized water is used as leachant for laboratory leaching tests.

[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.6]
3.5
leaching behaviour

release and change with time in release from a solid product in contact with a leachant as a function of

major release controlling factors
Note 1 to entry: Such factors are diffusion, pH, L/S ratio or time.
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.9]
3.6
liquid to solid ratio
L/S

ratio between the total volume of liquid (L) percolated through the solid product and of solid product

(S) packed into the column
Note 1 to entry: L/S is expressed in l/kg dry matter.
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.13]
3.7
local equilibrium

situation where chemical equilibrium exists between a substance in solution and the same substance in

the solid phase at any point in the column

Note 1 to entry: Even when local equilibrium exists at all points along the column the equilibrium concentrations

may be different at different points.
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.14]
3.8
percolation test
column test

release test method to determine the release of substances from a granular construction product

packed in a column with a leachant percolating through it
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.4]
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prEN 16637-3:2021 (E)
3.9
release
emission

liberation of chemical substances (e.g. non-volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, salts) from a

construction product into soil, surface water or groundwater into the leachant of a test facility

Note 1 to entry: Release to soil, surface and groundwater may be expressed in terms of area related release (tank

leaching test, e.g. mg/m ) or in terms of mass related release (percolation test, e.g. mg/kg).

Note 2 to entry: The terms “emission” and “release” have fundamentally the same meaning. However it is often a

tradition to use the term “emission” when describing liberation of chemical substances or radiation into air and to

use the term “release” when describing the liberation of chemical substances into soil or water.

[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.15]
3.10
release mechanism

physical-chemical processes that control the release of substances from a solid construction product

into a leachant

Note 1 to entry: In case of granular products the main release mechanisms are washout and solubility control.

Diffusion and additional factors like pH or DOC also have influence on the mechanism of the release.

Note 2 to entry: The release mechanism for every substance can be determined using the results of the release

test (tank leaching test, percolation test). Determination of the release mechanism is relevant for modelling of the

source term and so for determination of the effects on soil and water over a time period.

[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.2.17 (notes edited to refer to percolation only)]
3.11
sample
portion of material selected from a larger quantity of material

Note 1 to entry: The manner of selection of the sample should be prescribed in a sampling plan (3.13).

Note 2 to entry: The term “sample” is often accompanied by a prefix (e.g. laboratory sample, test sample)

specifying the type of sample and/or the specific step in the sampling process to which the obtained material

relates.
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 3.1.5]
3.12
sampling plan

predetermined procedure for the selection, withdrawal, on-site pre-treatment, preservation and

transportation of samples to be removed from a population
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 3.1.6]
3.13
test portion
analytical portion

amount of the test sample taken for testing/analysis purposes, usually of known weight or volume

[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 3.2.3]
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3.14
test sample

sample, prepared from the laboratory sample, from which test portions are removed for testing or for

analysis
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 3.2.2]
3.15
limit of quantification
LOQ

lowest value of an analyte (determinant) that can be determined with an acceptable level of accuracy

and precision, generally determined as three times the limit of detection of the method at a level of

three times the limit of detection
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015 [7], 4.1.14]
4 Symbols and abbreviations
Symbols
For the purposes of this document, the following symbols apply.
c concentration of the substance concerned in the eluate fraction i, in µg/l;
D sieve diameter, in mm;
max
NOTE Common sizes are 31,5 mm, 45 mm or 63 mm.
d inner diameter of the column, in mm;

d is the density of the construction product, expressed in kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m ).

E released quantity of a substance per quantity of sample for analysis in eluate fraction i, in

mg/kg dry matter;
h is the height or layer thickness of the construction, in m;
k constant that represents the speed of the release of a certain substance;
k number of eluates collected in the test;
m dry mass of the test portion, in g;
m mass of the undried test portion, in g;
m mass of the (moist) test portion in the column, in g;

S sieve diameter for test sample preparation (crushing) to reduce the amount of oversized

product to fit the inner column diameter, in mm;
t execution time of the test, in days;

Un measured cumulative release of a substance for cumulative L/S ratio n including fraction i = 1

to n, in mg/kg dry matter;
V volume of the eluate fraction i, in l;
V linear velocity of the leachant through the empty column, in mm per day;
w dry residue of the construction product, in %;
Φ leachant flow rate, in ml per hour.
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Abbreviations
For the purposes of this document, the following abbreviations apply.
DL detection limit
DOC dissolved organic carbon
EC electrical conductivity
EOTA European organization for technical assessment
ETA European technical assessment
ETFE ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
FEP fluorinated ethylene propylene
FPC factory production control
GLHC test method for granular products with low hydraulic conductivity
HDPE high-density polyethylene
hEN harmonized European Standard
PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
PCTFE polychlorotrifluoroethylene
PT percolation test
PTFE polytetrafluorethylene
RDS regulated dangerous substances
TPH total petroleum hydrocarbons
TT type testing
5 Principle
General principles

(1) The percolation test described in this document starts with the representative laboratory sample.

The methodology for the collection of a representative laboratory sample is part of the respective

product standard.

(2) This document describes a method to determine the release of substances from a construction

product, with or without size reduction to a maximum particle size, packed in a column with a leachant

percolating through it. Pre-equilibration is applied to approach (local) equilibrium at the start. The

column size is related to the amount of eluate needed for subsequent analysis and testing an

...