ISO/TS 22492:2019

Water pipe tobacco products - Determination of carbon monoxide emission of glowing water pipe charcoal - NDIR method

This document specifies a method for the determination of carbon monoxide (CO) emission of glowing water pipe charcoal.

Titre manque

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 14-May-2019
• ICS: 65.160 - Tobacco, tobacco products and related equipment
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 126 - Tobacco and tobacco products
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 126 - Tobacco and tobacco products
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 16-Sep-2025
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Overview

ISO/TS 22492:2019 specifies a laboratory method to determine carbon monoxide (CO) emissions from glowing water pipe charcoal using a non‑dispersive infrared (NDIR) analyser. The procedure measures CO in the vapour phase generated when charcoal is used to heat a water pipe (hookah/shisha) in a routine analytical smoking machine. This technical specification supports consistent, repeatable assessment of CO release from charcoal products used in water pipe tobacco consumption.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and principle: Light and condition charcoal, place in a routine analytical water pipe tobacco smoking machine and collect the vapour phase while taking machine-controlled puffs; quantify CO by NDIR analysis and calculate CO per piece and per puff.
• Apparatus and instrumentation:
  • Routine analytical water pipe smoking machine compliant with ISO 22486.
  • NDIR analyser calibrated for CO with sampling rates between 0.5–5 L/min, linearity ~0.1 % CO, repeatability ~0.2 % CO; specified cross‑sensitivities to CO and water vapour.
  • Gas‑phase collection system (bags or split sampling) sized for collected volume (e.g., 120–185 L for 175 puffs; ~30 L bags for 35‑puff blocks; split systems such as 20:1 use ~10 L bags).
  • Conditioning enclosure (per ISO 3402), barometer (0.1 kPa), thermometer (0.1 °C).
• Standard gases and calibration:
  • Use nitrogen as make‑up gas; calibrate NDIR with at least three standard gas mixtures (typical concentrations ~25%, 50%, 75% of analyser range) with certified accuracy.
  • Warm‑up and weekly recalibration requirements; calibration checks before measurements.
• Sampling and test procedure:
  • Condition test portions per ISO 3402; randomly select and weigh 10 pieces of charcoal (to 0.1 g), choose 3 closest to the average for testing.
  • Collect vapour phase according to ISO/TS 22487 procedures; options include whole‑sample collection, staged bags, split sampling, or puff‑by‑puff analysis.
• Results and reporting: Calculate CO emissions per charcoal piece and per puff; document repeatability/reproducibility and full test report requirements.

Applications and users

ISO/TS 22492:2019 is intended for:

• Manufacturers of water pipe charcoal and tobacco regulators assessing CO emissions and product safety.
• Independent testing laboratories performing standardized CO emission testing.
• Public health researchers and conformity assessors evaluating exposure from water pipe smoking and comparing charcoal products.

Related standards

• ISO 3402 - Atmosphere for conditioning and testing
• ISO 22486 - Water pipe tobacco smoking machine (definitions and conditions)
• ISO/TS 22487 - Determination of total collected matter and nicotine (vapour‑phase collection)

Keywords: ISO/TS 22492:2019, carbon monoxide, CO emission, water pipe charcoal, NDIR method, water pipe tobacco, vapour phase, standard test method.

Standards Content (Sample)

TECHNICAL ISO/TS
SPECIFICATION 22492
First edition
2019-05
Water pipe tobacco products —
Determination of carbon monoxide
emission of glowing water pipe
charcoal — NDIR method
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Apparatus . 1
6 Standard gas mixtures . 3
7 Procedure. 3
7.1 Conditioning . 3
7.2 Calibration of the NDIR analyser . 3
7.3 Smoking and collection of vapour phase . 3
7.3.1 Preparation of vapour phase collection system . 3
7.3.2 Selection of the charcoal . 4
7.3.3 Preparation of the routine analytical water pipe tobacco smoking machine . 4
7.3.4 Testing procedure . 4
7.4 Measurement of carbon monoxide volume concentration . 4
8 Expression of results . 4
8.1 Calculation of the average emission of carbon monoxide per piece of charcoal. 4
8.2 Calculation of the average emission of carbon monoxide per puff . 5
8.3 Calculation of the average mass of carbon monoxide per piece of charcoal . 5
8.4 Calculation of the average mass of carbon monoxide per puff . 6
9 Repeatability and reproducibility . 6
10 Test report . 6
10.1 General . 6
10.2 Characteristic data about the charcoal sample and identification . 6
10.3 Sampling . 7
10.4 Description of test . 7
10.5 Test results. 7
Bibliography . 8
Foreword
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 126, Tobacco and tobacco products.
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iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Introduction
For the testing of water pipe tobacco a routine analytical water pipe tobacco smoking machine is used,
heating the water pipe tobacco with an electrical heater. This is done to prevent contamination of the
collected phase by the emission of glowing water pipe charcoal. Nevertheless, most of the users use
glowing water pipe charcoal to heat up the water pipe tobacco for smoking.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION ISO/TS 22492:2019(E)
Water pipe tobacco products — Determination of carbon
monoxide emission of glowing water pipe charcoal —
NDIR method
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the determination of carbon monoxide (CO) emission of glowing
water pipe charcoal.
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.
ISO 3402, Tobacco and tobacco products — Atmosphere for conditioning and testing
ISO 22486, Water pipe tobacco smoking machine — Definitions and standard conditions
ISO/TS 22487, Water pipe tobacco — Determination of total collected matter and nicotine
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:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https: //www .iso .org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http: //www .electropedia .org/
3.1
vapour phase
portion of gas, which passes the glowing charcoal and the water bottle during smoking in accordance
with ISO/TS 22487 using a machine conforming to ISO 22486
4 Principle
Light up a sample of charcoal for water pipe smoking, place it in the sample holder of a routine
analytical water pipe tobacco smoking machine and take puffs in accordance with the procedures
given in ISO/TS 22487. Collection of the vapour phase and measurement of the carbon monoxide using
a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) analyser calibrated for carbon monoxide. Calculation of the amount of
carbon monoxide per sample.
5 Apparatus
Usual laboratory apparatus and, in particular, the following items.
5.1 Conditioning enclosure, maintained accurately in accordance with the conditions specified in
ISO 3402, for conditioning the cigarette sample prior to smoking (see also 7.1).
5.2 Routine analytical water pipe tobacco smoking machine and accessories, complying with the
requirements of ISO 22486.
5.3 Gas-phase collection system, which can be fitted to the water pipe tobacco smoking machine. The
use of the system shall ensure collection of all the generated vapour phase to be stored in a previously
evacuated container for subsequent sampling through an NDIR analyser.
The collection system shall not cause interference with the normal performance of the smoking
machine.
The impermeability of the vapour phase collecting device to a vapour phase shall be checked with a
vapour phase containing a volume fraction of 4 % to 6 % of CO. The CO concentration shall be measured
directly after filling the previously evacuated gas-collecting device. After a period of not less than 2 h,
the measured value of CO concentration in the vapour phase in the device shall not differ by more than
a volume fraction of 0,2 % from the value expected from the first determination.
When a bag is used as the gas-collecting device, it shall be large enough to avoid the final pressure of its
contents exceeding the ambient atmospheric pressure. The volume of the bag should also be no greater
than twice the volume of the gas content collected at atmospheric pressure. In practice, the collection of
the vapour phase from 175 puff requires a bag volume of 120 l to 185 l.
It can be inconvenient to collect all of the vapour phase generated from a single smoked test portion in
one single 120 l bag. Other possibilities exist and may be considered for inclusion in this document.
a) Use two or more smaller bags, which are changed at the same time as the TCM collection pad is
changed after every 35 puff.
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