ISO 8174:2026

• 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: Published
• Publication Date: 20-Oct-2026
• ICS: 71.080.10 - Aliphatic hydrocarbons
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 47 - Chemistry
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 47/WG 2 - Light Olefins
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 21-Oct-2026
• Completion Date: 21-Oct-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

ISO 8174:2026 is an ISO standard for the gas chromatographic determination of trace oxygenated compounds in ethylene and propylene for industrial use. It specifies how to measure methanol, dimethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, acetaldehyde, ethanol, propan-2-ol, acetone and butanone when they are present above 0.5 mL/m3. The document covers sampling, calibration, analysis, calculation, reporting, precision, quality assurance and the test report.

What does ISO 8174:2026 specify?

ISO 8174:2026 specifies a gas chromatographic method for trace oxygenates in ethylene and propylene (propene) for industrial use. In practice, it tells laboratories how to separate the oxygenated compounds, measure them against a gas standard and report the result in a controlled way.

The document is organized into clauses on scope, normative references, principle, reagents and materials, apparatus, sampling, procedure, calculation, reporting, precision, quality assurance and test report. That structure matters because it shows the full test workflow from sample collection to final reporting.

What are the key requirements of ISO 8174:2026?

ISO 8174:2026 uses gas chromatography with a hydrogen flame ionization detector (FID). The sample is introduced through a gas sampling device, separated on the column, and quantified by the external standard method. For the user, this means the result depends on matching the sample signal to a prepared reference standard rather than on an internal correction factor.

Reagents, gases and standards

ISO 8174:2026 requires high-purity reference compounds for preparing the gas standard, each above 99.0% mass fraction. Carrier gas is helium or nitrogen above 99.99% volume fraction, and air and hydrogen are also specified with drying and purification. The gas standard should be close to the expected sample level and below 100 mL/m3 in the base gas, so the calibration reflects the real sample range.

Apparatus and separation

ISO 8174:2026 calls for a gas chromatograph fitted with a six-way gas sampling valve with a 1 mL loop and an FID. The instrument must give a peak height at 0.5 mL/m3 that is at least twice the background noise. Table 1 gives a recommended PLOT column, typical operating conditions, and the chromatographic settings used to separate the listed oxygenates; other columns may be used if they give satisfactory separation and detection limit.

Sampling and sample handling

ISO 8174:2026 requires the laboratory sample to be taken in a stainless-steel cylinder in accordance with ISO 7382 or ISO 8563. For liquid propylene, the sample must be fully vaporized before introduction, and the vaporization setup must preserve representativeness. In practice, this prevents adsorption losses and composition changes before injection.

Calibration, analysis and calculation

ISO 8174:2026 requires 1.0 mL injections of the gas standard and repeated measurement, with duplicate peak areas not differing by more than 5% of their average. Samples are also injected in 1.0 mL portions, and the analysis uses the ratio of sample peak area to standard peak area. Clause 9 then converts the result to mL/m3 and, if needed, to mg/kg using the relative molecular mass of the oxygenate and the sample.

Reporting, precision and quality control

ISO 8174:2026 requires the arithmetic mean of two repeated measurements, reported to the nearest 0.1 mg/kg or 0.1 mL/m3. Clause 11 gives repeatability and reproducibility statements for each oxygenate, which help users judge whether two results are acceptably close. Clause 12 requires periodic QC checks to verify instrument performance and result validity.

Who uses ISO 8174:2026?

ISO 8174:2026 is used by laboratory analysts, plant quality teams, producers, and buyers of industrial ethylene and propylene. It supports routine quality control, product release testing, incoming inspection and dispute checks where trace oxygenates need to be measured consistently. It is also relevant to laboratories that prepare calibration gas standards and run chromatographic confirmation testing.

What changed in ISO 8174:2026 from the previous edition?

ISO 8174:2026 cancels and replaces ISO 8174:1986. The second edition revises the title, expands the scope to the listed oxygenates, deletes acetonitrile, updates the principle and gas standard preparation, and changes the apparatus from packed columns to capillary columns with a gas sampling device. It also revises sampling-related content, calibration and sample-determination procedures, result expression, and the precision and bias evaluation.

Which standards are used with ISO 8174:2026?

ISO 8174:2026 cites ISO 7382 for sampling ethylene in the liquid and gaseous phase. It also cites ISO 8563 for sampling propylene and butadiene in the liquid phase. These references define how the laboratory sample is taken before the chromatographic test begins.

What does the ISO 8174:2026 document contain?

ISO 8174:2026 contains a recommended chromatographic setup in Table 1, including the column type and typical operating conditions. Figure 1 shows a typical chromatogram with the oxygenates identified in their separation order. Clause 9 gives the calculation formulas for concentration in mL/m3 and mg/kg, while Table 2 gives precision statements for the individual oxygenates.

The document also includes the step-by-step procedure for preparing the apparatus, calibrating with the gas standard, vaporizing liquid propylene, and analyzing samples. Clause 13 lists the information to include in the test report, such as sample identification, the standard reference, the concentrations reported, analyst details and any departures from the method.

International
Standard
ISO 8174
Second edition
Ethylene and propylene for
2026-10
industrial use — Determination
of trace oxygenates — Gas
chromatographic method
Reference number
© ISO 2026
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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

iii
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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
...