ISO 8174

• Abstract:

  This document specifies a gas chromatographic method for the determination of trace amounts of oxygenated compounds in ethylene and propylene (propene) for industrial use. This document is applicable to ethylene and propylene having methanol, dimethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, acetaldehyde, ethanol, propan-2-ol, acetone, and butanone concentrations greater than 0,5 mL/m3.

• Status: Not Published
• ICS: 71.080.10 - Aliphatic hydrocarbons
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 47 - Chemistry
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 47/WG 2 - Light Olefins
• Current Stage: 6000 - International Standard under publication
• Start Date: 09-Sep-2026
• Completion Date: 12-Sep-2026

• Revises: ISO 8174:1986 - Ethylene and propylene for industrial use — Determination of acetone, acetonitrile, propan-2-ol and methanol — Gas chromatographic method
• Effective Date: 18-May-2024

Overview

ISO 8174:2026 specifies an internationally recognized method for the determination of trace oxygenated compounds in ethylene and propylene for industrial use. Using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection, this standard outlines procedures for accurately identifying and quantifying trace levels of specific oxygenates present in these key industrial olefins. The method is applicable when concentrations of methanol, dimethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, acetaldehyde, ethanol, propan-2-ol, acetone, and butanone exceed 0.5 mL/m³.

This document is an essential resource for manufacturers, laboratories, and users who must monitor and control the quality of ethylene and propylene feedstocks used in chemical, petrochemical, and polymer production.

Key Topics

• Trace Oxygenate Analysis: Establishes the examination of low-concentration oxygenated impurities, essential for product quality and process safety.
• Applicable Compounds: Covers the determination of methanol, dimethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), acetaldehyde, ethanol, propan-2-ol (isopropanol), acetone, and butanone in industrial gases.
• Gas Chromatographic Procedure: Describes requirements for GC equipment setup, including the use of capillary columns, six-way gas sampling valves, and flame ionization detectors for reliable detection.
• Sampling and Calibration: Provides guidance on taking representative samples following ISO 7382 (ethylene) and ISO 8563 (propylene), and on preparing calibration standards for accurate quantification.
• Precision and Quality Assurance: Details on repeatability, reproducibility, and the use of reference materials to validate measurement accuracy in compliance with international best practices.
• Safety Considerations: Includes warnings on handling high-purity, flammable reagents and pressurized gases, advising appropriate safety measures.

Applications

Implementation of ISO 8174 delivers significant practical value across the chemical, petrochemical, and plastics industries:

• Quality Control in Production: Ensures that ethylene and propylene used in processes such as polymerization and chemical synthesis meet stringent impurity thresholds, preventing catalyst poisoning and undesirable byproducts.
• Feedstock Assessment: Enables producers and users to certify compliance with purchase specifications and regulatory limits concerning trace oxygenates in industrial gases.
• Laboratory Testing: Supports accredited laboratories in providing consistent, internationally accepted analysis reports for trace oxygenates in ethylene and propylene.
• Process Optimization: Monitoring oxygenate levels aids in process adjustments, minimizing downtime and improving overall production efficiency.
• Regulatory Compliance: Assists organizations in meeting legal or contractual requirements for product purity and safety.

Related Standards

To ensure a comprehensive trace oxygenate determination workflow, ISO 8174 should be used in conjunction with other relevant international standards:

• ISO 7382: Ethylene for industrial use - Sampling in the liquid and the gaseous phase
• ISO 8563: Propylene and butadiene for industrial use - Sampling in the liquid phase

Additional reference may be made to standards on gas chromatography methodologies and laboratory quality management to reinforce analytical reliability and traceability.

---

By adopting ISO 8174, organizations enhance their capability to ensure product integrity, process reliability, and regulatory compliance in the monitoring of ethylene and propylene feedstocks for industrial applications.

International
Standard
Second edition
Ethylene and propylene for
industrial use — Determination
of trace oxygenates — Gas
chromatographic method
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
Reference number
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Reagents and materials . 1
5.1 Methanol .1
5.2 Dimethyl ether .1
5.3 Methyl tert-butyl ether .2
5.4 Acetaldehyde .2
5.5 Ethanol .2
5.6 Propan-2-ol .2
5.7 Acetone .2
5.8 Butanone .2
5.9 Carrier gas .2
5.10 Auxiliary gas .2
5.11 Gas standard .2
6 Apparatus . 2
6.1 Gas chromatograph .2
6.2 Column .3
6.3 Recorder .4
6.4 Injection device .4
6.5 Vaporization device .4
7 Sampling . 4
8 Procedure . 5
8.1 Preparation of apparatus .5
8.2 Calibration .5
8.3 Vaporization of liquid propylene .5
8.4 Sample analysis . .5
9 Calculation . 5
10 Reporting . 6
11 Precision . 6
11.1 Repeatability .6
11.2 Reproducibility .6
12 Quality assurance . 6
13 Test report . 6
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 47, Chemistry.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 8174:1986), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— title revised;
— Scope expanded to be applicable for the determination of methanol, dimethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl
ether, acetaldehyde, ethanol, propan-2-ol, acetone, and butanone and the determination of acetonitrile
has been deleted. The test method has been improved to be suitable for ethylene and propylene with
oxygenate concentrations greater than 0,5 mL/m ;
— in Clause 4, the method principle regarding the analysis procedure has been revised;
— in Clause 5, the preparation of gas standard for calibration has been revised;
— in Clause 6, chromatographic columns have been modified from packed colu
...

ISO/DISPRF 8174:2026(en)
ISO /TC 47/ WG 2
Secretariat: JISC
Date: 2026-06-1608-11
Ethylene and propylene for industrial use - — Determination of trace
oxygenates -— Gas chromatographic method
PROOF
ISO/DIS PRF 8174: 20252026(en)
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication
may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO
at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
EmailE-mail: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.orgwww.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/DIS 8174 2026 – All rights reserved
ii
ISO/DISPRF 8174:2026(en)
Contents
Foreword . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Reagents and materials . 1
5.1 Methanol . 1
5.2 Dimethyl ether . 1
5.3 Methyl tert-butyl ether . 2
5.4 Acetaldehyde . 2
5.5 Ethanol . 2
5.6 Propan-2-ol . 2
5.7 Acetone . 2
5.8 Butanone . 2
5.9 Carrier gas . 2
5.10 Auxiliary gas . 2
5.11 Gas standard . 2
6 Apparatus . 2
6.1 Gas chromatograph . 2
6.2 Column . 2
6.3 Recorder . 5
6.4 Injection device . 5
6.5 Vaporization device . 5
7 Sampling . 5
8 Procedure . 5
8.1 Preparation of apparatus . 5
8.2 Calibration . 5
8.3 Vaporization of liquid propylene . 5
8.4 Sample analysis . 5
9 Calculation . 5
10 Reporting . 6
11 Precision . 6
11.1 Repeatability . 6
11.2 Reproducibility . 6
12 Quality assurance . 7
13 Test report . 7

Foreword . iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
iii
ISO/DIS PRF 8174: 20252026(en)
4 Principle . 1
5 Reagents and materials . 1
6 Apparatus . 2
7 Sampling . 4
8 Preparation of apparatus . 4
9 Calibration . 4
10 Procedure . 4
11 Calculation . 4
12 Reporting . 5
13 Precision . 5
14 Quality assurance . 5
15 Test report . 5
iv © ISO/DIS 8174 2026 – All rights reserved
iv
ISO/DISPRF 8174:2026(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types of
ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directiveswww.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights
in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a) patent(s)
which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not
represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents.www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such
patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.htmlwww.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 47, Chemistry.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 8174:1986), which has been technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— — title revised;
— — Scope has been expanded to be applicable for the determination of methanol, dimethyl ether, methyl
tert-butyl ether, acetaldehyde, ethanol, propan-2-ol, acetone, and butanone and the determination of
acetonitrile has been deleted. The test method has been improved to be suitable for ethylene and
propylene with oxygenate concentrations greater than 0,5 mL/m ;
— — in Clause 4,4, the method principle regarding the analysis procedure has be
...