European Standards:
This is the present standard for the flue gas analyser in Europe and was ratified in March 2004. EN50379 will remain in force for the forseeable future.
This gives access to the main regulatory body in the USA, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).
Gas Research Institute Method GRI-96/0008 Revision 7 EMC Conditional Test Method (CTM-030)
Determination of Nitrogen Oxides, Carbon Monoxide, and Oxygen Emissions from Natural Gas-Fired Engines, Boilers and Process Heaters Using Portable Analyzers
For Periodic Monitoring
(Portable Electrochemical Analyzer Procedure)
Applicability: This method is applicable to the determination of nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2 ), carbon monoxide (CO) and oxygen (O2) concentrations in controlled and uncontrolled emissions from combustion sources using fuels such as natural gas, propane, butane, and fuel oils. This method is designed to provide a reasonable assurance of compliance using periodic monitoring or testing. This method is not intended for use where an EPA reference test method is required. Due to inherent cross sensitivities of electrochemical (EC) cells, this method should not be applied to other pollutants or emission sources without a complete investigation of possible analytical interferences and a comparative evaluation with other EPA test methods.
Standards are an important factor in any form of analysis. Now that almost all matters can be considered as international, it is important to have common regulations, at least for major groups of countries. This reduces the cost of instrumentation, since it will be the same in all neighbouring countries. This is also simpler for the operators, who have the oppurtunity of working in different regions and for companies with a number of sites it is a great advantage. We are still far from this ideal state at the moment, with much of the legislation being handled on a local level nad not even a national level.