oSIST prEN 12903:2026

• Abstract:

  This European Standard is applicable to powdered activated carbon used for treatment of water intended for human consumption. It describes the characteristics of powdered activated carbon and specifies the requirements and the corresponding test methods for powdered activated carbon. It gives information on its use in water treatment.

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 24-Dec-2026
• ICS: 13.060.20 - Drinking water
• ICS: 71.100.80 - Chemicals for purification of water
• Technical Committee: IOVO - Water supply and waste water engineering
• Current Stage: 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 26-Oct-2026
• Due Date: 15-Mar-2027
• Ref Project: prEN 12903 - Products used for the treatment of water intended for human consumption - Powdered activated carbon

• Revised: SIST EN 12903:2009 - Products used for the treatment of water intended for human consumption - Powdered activated carbon
• Effective Date: 19-Jan-2023

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 is a draft European Standard for powdered activated carbon used in the treatment of water intended for human consumption. It specifies the product's characteristics, requirements, test methods, labelling, transport and storage, and it also gives practical information on use in water treatment. The document is meant for manufacturers, suppliers, laboratories and water-treatment users who need a common technical basis for specifying and checking the product.

What does oSIST prEN 12903:2026 specify?

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 applies to powdered activated carbon for treatment of water intended for human consumption. It sets out how the product is identified, which physical and chemical properties matter, how those properties are tested, and what information has to accompany delivery.

The document is organized into:

• Clauses 1-3: scope, normative references, and terms and definitions
• Clause 4: description and identification
• Clause 5: physical properties
• Clause 6: chemical properties and purity criteria
• Clause 7: specific properties
• Clause 8: test methods
• Clause 9: labelling, transportation and storage
• Annex A: general information on powdered activated carbon

What are the key requirements of oSIST prEN 12903:2026?

Product identity and declared material type

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 identifies two product types: Activated Carbon - High Density Skeleton and Activated Carbon - Low Density Skeleton. It also lists common names such as activated coal, activated charcoal, active carbon and PAC, and it records the chemical name, formula and registry references.

In practice, this means the supplier has to declare the exact material type and the buyer should tie the purchase specification to that declared identity. Clause 6.1 also says the raw materials used, such as coconut, wood, peat or coal, shall be stated by the manufacturer.

Physical properties that affect handling and dosing

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 requires the product to be a black powder, with particle size distribution, oversize/undersize fraction and tapped density all within the manufacturer’s declared values. Clause 5.2 also states that at least 95% by mass shall be smaller than 150 µm.

In practice, these limits matter because particle size and density affect dusting, slurry preparation, dosing accuracy and the way the carbon behaves in treatment equipment. Buyers often need to specify these declared values because different applications may need different particle size ranges.

Purity criteria and contaminant limits

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 sets minimum purity requirements in Clause 6.2. It limits ash, water content at packing, water-soluble material and zinc, and it gives limits for water-extractable substances such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, cyanide and PAH. Aluminium is listed with a typical value to be reported.

In practice, this is the main contamination-control section. The zinc limit applies only to products manufactured with ZnCl2, and the notes explain that some applications may need different limits because of raw material, moisture pickup or special product design.

Performance indicator

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 sets a minimum iodine number of 600 mg/g in Clause 7.

In practice, the iodine number is the document's main specified indicator for adsorption performance. Lower values may be acceptable for some applications, but that has to be agreed for the intended use.

Sampling, testing, delivery and storage

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 requires samples for conformity assessment to be taken at the production site, and Clause 8 requires sampling and analysis to follow EN 12902. Clause 9 requires clean delivery means, product marking, and storage away from oxidants, volatile solvents and moisture.

In practice, this protects the representativeness of the sample and the quality of the delivered product. It also gives the basic handling rules needed to avoid contamination, wetting and loss of performance.

What terms does oSIST prEN 12903:2026 define?

• Activated Carbon - High Density Skeleton - activated carbon produced by charring and activation of raw materials with steam or other gases.
• Activated Carbon - Low Density Skeleton - activated carbon produced by charring and activation of raw materials with chemical activation agents such as phosphoric acid.
• PAC - a common name for powdered activated carbon used in water treatment.
• CAS Registry Number - the chemical registry identifier listed for the product as 7440-44-0.
• EINECS reference - the European inventory reference number listed for the two product types.
• Tapped density - the density value used in this standard to characterize the compacted powder, reported within the manufacturer's declared values.
• Iodine number - the adsorption-related indicator used in Clause 7, with a minimum value set by the standard.

Who uses oSIST prEN 12903:2026?

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 is used by manufacturers and suppliers of powdered activated carbon, drinking water treatment operators, laboratory staff, buyers and quality managers, and bodies checking product conformity. It is relevant wherever powdered activated carbon is selected, received, sampled, tested, stored or dosed into water treatment processes.

In practice, users rely on it to write purchase specifications, check delivery paperwork, compare grades, arrange laboratory testing, and judge whether a product is suitable for a particular water treatment objective.

What changed in oSIST prEN 12903:2026 from the previous edition?

oSIST prEN 12903:2026 will supersede EN 12903:2009. The foreword states these significant technical changes:

• the term bulk density packed was replaced by tapped density
• the zinc limit now applies only to activated carbons manufactured with ZnCl2
• aluminium was added as a water-extractable substance with a typical value to be reported
• editorial changes were made to harmonize the text with other standards in the series

Which standards are used with oSIST prEN 12903:2026?

• EN 12901 - provides the terms and definitions used in this document.
• EN 12902 - provides the sampling and test methods used for particle size distribution, tapped density, ash, water content, water-soluble material, zinc, water-extractable substances and iodine number.

What does the oSIST prEN 12903:2026 document contain?

The document contains two requirements tables in Clause 6 and one informative table in Annex A. Table 1 sets the main impurity and by-product limits, and Table 2 sets the limits for water-extractable substances.

Clause 8 gives the test-method framework and points most analyses to EN 12902. Clause 9 covers delivery forms, marking, transport classifications and storage precautions. Annex A adds general information on raw materials, manufacturing routes, typical properties, adsorption indices, uses, handling advice and emergency measures, so the reader can understand how powdered activated carbon is used in practice.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2026
Izdelki, ki se uporabljajo za pripravo pitne vode - Aktivno oglje v prahu
Products used for the treatment of water intended for human consumption - Powdered
activated carbon
Produkte zur Aufbereitung von Wasser für den menschlichen Gebrauch - Pulver-
Aktivkohle
Produits utilisés pour le traitement de l'eau destinée à la consommation humaine -
Charbon actif en poudre
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 12903
ICS:
13.060.20 Pitna voda Drinking water
71.100.80 Kemikalije za čiščenje vode Chemicals for purification of
water
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
October 2026
ICS Will supersede EN 12903:2009
English Version
Products used for the treatment of water intended for
human consumption - Powdered activated carbon
Produits utilisés pour le traitement de l'eau destinée à Produkte zur Aufbereitung von Wasser für den
la consommation humaine - Charbon actif en poudre menschlichen Gebrauch - Pulver-Aktivkohle
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 164.
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, Türkiye 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
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 12903:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Description . 6
4.1 Identification . 6
4.1.1 Chemical name(s) . 6
4.1.2 Synonym or common names . 6
4.1.3 Chemical formula . 6
4.1.4 CAS Registry Number . 7
4.1.5 EINECS reference . 7
4.2 Commercial form . 7
5 Physical properties . 7
5.1 Appearance . 7
5.2 Particle size distribution . 7
5.2.1 Particle size . 7
5.2.2 Oversize and undersize particles . 7
5.3 Tapped density . 7
6 Chemical properties . 7
6.1 General. 7
6.2 Purity criteria . 8
6.2.1 General. 8
6.2.2 Impurities and main by-products . 8
6.2.3 Water-extractable substances. 8
7 Specific properties . 9
8 Test methods . 9
8.1 Sampling . 9
8.2 Analysis . 9
8.2.1 Particle size distribution . 9
8.2.2 Tapped density . 9
8.2.3 Ash . 9
8.2.4 Water content . 10
8.2.5 Water-soluble material . 10
8.2.6 Content of zinc . 10
8.2.7 Water-extractable substances. 10
8.2.8 Iodine number . 10
9 Labelling, transportation and storage. 10
9.1 Means of delivery . 10
9.2 Risk and safety labelling according to the EU directives . 10
9.3 Transportation regulations and labelling . 10
9.4 Marking . 11
9.5 Storage . 11
9.5.1 Long term stability . 11
9.5.2 Storage incompatibilities . 11
Annex A (informative) General information on powdered activated carbon . 12
Bibliography . 15

European foreword
This document (prEN 12903:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 164 “Water
supply”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 12903:2009.
— the term bulk density packed replaced by tapped density;
— zinc limit only applicable for activated carbons manufactured with ZnCl2;
— aluminium added as a water-extractable substance with typical value to be reported;
— editorial to harmonize the text with other standards in this series.
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
Introduction
In respect of potential adverse effects on the quality of water intended for human consumption, caused
by the product covered by this document:
a) this document provides no information as to whether the product may be used without restriction
in any of the Member States of the EU or EFTA;
b) it should be noted that, while awaiting the adoption of verifiable European criteria, existing national
regulations concerning the use and/or the characteristics of this product remain in force.
NOTE Conformity with this document does not confer or imply acceptance or approval of the product in any
of the Member States of the EU or EFTA. The use of the product covered by this document is subject to regulation
or control by National Authorities.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights.
1 Scope
This document is applicable to powdered activated carbon used for treatment of water intended for
human consumption. It describes the characteristics of powdered activated carbon and specifies the
requirements and the corresponding test methods for powdered activated carbon. It gives information
on its use in water treatment.
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 12901, Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Inorganic supporting
and filtering materials - Definitions
EN 12902, Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Inorganic supporting
and filtering materials - Methods of test
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 12901 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
activated Carbon – High Density Skeleton (steam activated carbon)
activated carbon produced by charring and activation of raw materials with steam or other gases
3.2
activated Carbon – Low Density Skeleton (chemically activated carbon)
activated carbon produced by charring and activation of raw materials with chemical activation agents
such as phosphoric acid
4 Description
4.1 Identification
4.1.1 Chemical name(s)
Activated Carbon – High Density Skeleton
Activated Carbon – Low Density Skeleton
4.1.2 Synonym or common names
Activated coal, activated charcoal, active carbon, PAC.
4.1.3 Chemical formula
C (elementary).
1)
4.1.4 CAS Registry Number
7440-44-0.
2)
4.1.5 EINECS reference
931-328-0 (Activated Carbon – High Density Skeleton)
931-334-3 (Activated Carbon – Low Density Skeleton)
4.2 Commercial form
Powdered activated carbon is available in many grades, differing mainly in adsorption characteristics,
porosity, particle size and purity.
5 Physical properties
5.1 Appearance
The product is a black powd
...