This International Standard specifies a method for the determination of the water-soluble organic complexing agents listed in Table 1 in the concentration range from to , if a sample volume between and is used. The concentration range may change if diluted solutions are analysed. The method is applicable to drinking, ground, surface and waste water.
In waste water analysis, it is recommended that a smaller sample volume, e.g. or , be used in order to
reduce matrix effects.
The adsorption of the six complexing agents on solid materials is negligibly low.
Other complexing agents of similar composition may also be determined using this method, provided they behave similarly during sample pretreatment, derivatization and gas chromatography. This shall be checked in each individual case.