BS EN 15768-2015 PDF

Full title and description

STB BS EN 15768:2015 — Influence of materials on water intended for human consumption — GC‑MS identification of water‑leachable organic substances. This European standard describes a GC‑MS based analytical screening procedure to detect and help identify organic chemicals that may migrate from materials and products (for example pipes, coatings, membranes and other articles) into water intended for human consumption; it is intended for use as part of material approval and audit processes and provides semi‑quantitative indication of concentrations rather than fully quantitative determinations.

Abstract

EN 15768:2015 specifies laboratory procedures for preparing migration waters and for screening these waters by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‑MS) to detect and tentatively identify organic substances leached from materials in contact with drinking water. The method supports approval and conformity assessment activities by providing a general survey (including internal/injection standards and procedural blanks) and semi‑quantitative concentration estimates, but it is not intended as a definitive quantitative assay for every compound encountered.

General information

• Status: Active / European Standard adopted as national standards (BS EN and other national implementations).
• Publication date: 2015 (EN approval recorded 29 November 2014; national publication/adoption dates vary — examples: NEN listing 1 Feb 2015, DIN listing 1 May 2015).
• Publisher: CEN (European Committee for Standardization), published/implemented by national standards bodies (adopted as BS EN 15768:2015 where applicable).
• ICS / categories: 13.060.20 (Drinking water); 67.250 (Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs); 71.040.50 (Physico‑chemical methods of analysis).
• Edition / version: EN 15768:2015 (national adoptions use the year and EN designation, e.g. BS EN 15768:2015).
• Number of pages: National PDFs typically show mid‑30s page counts (examples reported: 34 pages (NEN), 37 pages (DIN) — final page count depends on the national pdf/layout).

Scope

Defines GC‑MS analytical procedures to screen migration waters prepared from products and materials that can contact water intended for human consumption. The standard covers sample preparation workflow, use of internal/injection standards, GC‑MS survey acquisition and interpretation guidance for identification of water‑leachable organic substances. It explicitly notes the method is a screening/semi‑quantitative technique and that other analytical methods are recommended where accurate quantification of specific target compounds is required. The preparation of migration waters (test conditions) is covered by related EN test‑method standards referenced within EN 15768.

Key topics and requirements

• GC‑MS general survey analysis: continuous scan acquisition across a wide m/z range to detect unknown organics.
• Sample preparation and solvent extraction of migration waters with guidance on recoveries and avoidance of contamination.
• Use of internal standards and injection standards (often isotopically labelled) to demonstrate successful analysis and to enable semi‑quantitative estimates.
• Procedural blanks and laboratory blank controls to check for laboratory contamination and method performance.
• Guidance on peak identification, peak asymmetry considerations and reporting of tentative identifications; limitations on absolute quantification are explicitly stated.

Typical use and users

Analytical and testing laboratories performing conformity and safety testing of materials in contact with drinking water, manufacturers seeking regulatory approval of products (pipes, coatings, membranes, fittings), national approval bodies and regulators, and quality assurance teams in water utilities. The method is used where a broad‑spectrum screen for organic migrants is required as part of material suitability assessments and audits.

Related standards

EN 15768 is part of the suite of EN standards dealing with the influence of materials on water intended for human consumption and is used alongside migration‑water preparation and migration test methods such as EN 12873 (parts 1–4) and other material‑specific test standards; users should consult the normative references listed in EN 15768 for the exact linked documents and test‑water specifications.

Keywords

GC‑MS; migration water; drinking water; water‑leachable organic substances; screening method; semi‑quantitative; materials in contact with water; migration testing; internal standard; procedural blank.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: EN 15768:2015 is a European standard that specifies a GC‑MS based screening method to detect and help identify organic substances that can be leached from materials into water intended for human consumption.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers laboratory procedures for preparing and analysing migration waters by GC‑MS (survey scanning, use of internal and injection standards, blank controls), guidance on identification of detected organics, and instructions that the method provides semi‑quantitative concentration estimates rather than definitive quantitative analysis for all compounds.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Accredited testing laboratories, material and component manufacturers (pipes, coatings, membranes, fittings), regulatory and approval bodies for drinking‑water materials, and quality teams in water utilities use this standard as part of material safety and approval workflows.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: EN 15768:2015 is the 2015 edition of the standard and is listed as an active European standard in national catalogues; users should verify with their national standards body (or BSI for the BS EN edition) to confirm the current status and any corrigenda or amendments before relying on it for compliance work.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. EN 15768 sits within the broader "Influence of materials on water intended for human consumption" family of standards and is cross‑referenced with migration water preparation and migration test methods (for example EN 12873 parts 1–4 and other related ENs).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: GC‑MS, migration water, water‑leachable organics, drinking water, semi‑quantitative screening, internal standard, procedural blank.