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.