EN 16136:2015
(Main)Automotive fuels - Determination of manganese and iron content in unleaded petrol - Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) method
General Information
- Abstract
This European Standard specifies a method based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) for the determination of manganese content from about 0,5 mg/l to about 7,5 mg/l and of iron content from about 1,4 mg/l to about 6,0 mg/l in unleaded petrol containing up to 3,7 % (m/m) oxygen.
WARNING - The use of this European Standard may involve hazardous materials, operations and equipment. This European Standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this European Standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
NOTE 1 Manganese as MMT and iron as ferrocene are added to petrol to increase anti-knock properties.
NOTE 2 Solutions of MMT in petrol are unstable when exposed to light. Low and erratic results are expected if petrol samples are exposed to light prior the analysis.
Iron and manganese contents higher than 6,0 mg/l and 7,5 mg/l respectively may be measured after preliminary dilution of the sample with a suitable solvent. However, the precision has not been established for such a procedure. Further work regarding automotive ethanol (E85) fuel is on-going in CEN.
NOTE 3 For the purposes of this European Standard, the terms "% (m/m)" and "% (V/V)" are used to represent the mass fraction (µ) and the volume fraction (φ) of a material respectively.
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 10-Feb-2015
- Withdrawal Date
- 30-Aug-2015
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 19 - Petroleum products, lubricants and related products
- Drafting Committee
- CEN/TC 19/WG 27 - Elemental analysis of petroleum and related products
- Current Stage
- 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
- Start Date
- 05-Mar-2026
- Completion Date
- 23-Sep-2026
- Directive
- Not Harmonized98/70/EC - Quality of petrol and diesel fuels (Dir. 93/12/EEC amendment)
Overview
EN 16136:2015 - published by CEN - defines an analytical ICP OES method for the determination of manganese and iron in unleaded petrol. The standard covers manganese in the approximate range 0.5 mg/L to 7.5 mg/L and iron 1.4 mg/L to 6.0 mg/L in petrol containing up to 3.7 % (m/m) oxygen. It specifies sample preparation, solvent and reagent requirements, calibration, instrument setup for organic liquids, quality control and reporting. The document includes safety warnings and notes on additive chemistry (MMT and ferrocene).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and limits: Target ranges for Mn and Fe in petrol; higher concentrations may be measured after dilution but precision for that procedure is not established.
- Principle: Sample diluted in a hydrocarbon solvent and introduced directly to an ICP OES plasma; results obtained by comparison with calibrated standards and corrected using an internal standard.
- Solvent and reagents:
- Kerosene (boiling range 150–250 °C) and heptane are used; the solvent is prepared by adding 25 mL heptane to 500 mL kerosene.
- Commercial oil-based manganese and iron standard solutions (e.g., 100 mg/kg) are used to prepare intermediates and calibration solutions.
- Internal standard: Use of Co, Sc or Y in oil to correct viscosity and vapor-pressure effects during nebulization.
- Sampling and handling:
- Follow EN ISO 3170 / EN ISO 3171 for representative sampling.
- Store samples in clean, opaque containers - MMT solutions are light-sensitive; exposure to light produces unstable, erratic results.
- Instrumentation:
- ICP OES configured for organic liquids with suitable nebulizer and feed pump; manufacturers’ instructions must be followed.
- The standard provides recommended emission wavelengths and procedural calibration/check steps.
- Quality control: Preparation of a QC solution (0.15 mg/L) from separate standard batches to verify sensitivity and accuracy.
Applications and who uses it
- Routine fuel quality laboratories performing regulatory compliance testing under the Fuels Quality Directive (FQD).
- Petroleum refiners, fuel additive manufacturers, test houses and conformity assessment bodies monitoring MMT (manganese) and ferrocene (iron) anti-knock additives.
- Environmental and forensic labs assessing trace metal contamination in automotive fuels.
Related standards
- EN ISO 1042 - volumetric flasks
- EN ISO 3170 / EN ISO 3171 - petroleum sampling (manual and automatic)
- EN ISO 3675 / EN ISO 12185 - density determination methods
Practical note: follow the safety warning in EN 16136:2015 - the method involves hazardous solvents and high-energy plasma equipment; users must implement appropriate lab safety and regulatory controls.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 18-Feb-2015
- Effective Date
- 24-Jun-2026
- Effective Date
- 24-Jun-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
EN 16136:2015 is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Automotive fuels - Determination of manganese and iron content in unleaded petrol - Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) method". This standard covers: This European Standard specifies a method based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) for the determination of manganese content from about 0,5 mg/l to about 7,5 mg/l and of iron content from about 1,4 mg/l to about 6,0 mg/l in unleaded petrol containing up to 3,7 % (m/m) oxygen. WARNING - The use of this European Standard may involve hazardous materials, operations and equipment. This European Standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this European Standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. NOTE 1 Manganese as MMT and iron as ferrocene are added to petrol to increase anti-knock properties. NOTE 2 Solutions of MMT in petrol are unstable when exposed to light. Low and erratic results are expected if petrol samples are exposed to light prior the analysis. Iron and manganese contents higher than 6,0 mg/l and 7,5 mg/l respectively may be measured after preliminary dilution of the sample with a suitable solvent. However, the precision has not been established for such a procedure. Further work regarding automotive ethanol (E85) fuel is on-going in CEN. NOTE 3 For the purposes of this European Standard, the terms "% (m/m)" and "% (V/V)" are used to represent the mass fraction (µ) and the volume fraction (φ) of a material respectively.
This European Standard specifies a method based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) for the determination of manganese content from about 0,5 mg/l to about 7,5 mg/l and of iron content from about 1,4 mg/l to about 6,0 mg/l in unleaded petrol containing up to 3,7 % (m/m) oxygen. WARNING - The use of this European Standard may involve hazardous materials, operations and equipment. This European Standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this European Standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. NOTE 1 Manganese as MMT and iron as ferrocene are added to petrol to increase anti-knock properties. NOTE 2 Solutions of MMT in petrol are unstable when exposed to light. Low and erratic results are expected if petrol samples are exposed to light prior the analysis. Iron and manganese contents higher than 6,0 mg/l and 7,5 mg/l respectively may be measured after preliminary dilution of the sample with a suitable solvent. However, the precision has not been established for such a procedure. Further work regarding automotive ethanol (E85) fuel is on-going in CEN. NOTE 3 For the purposes of this European Standard, the terms "% (m/m)" and "% (V/V)" are used to represent the mass fraction (µ) and the volume fraction (φ) of a material respectively.
EN 16136:2015 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 71.080.60 - Alcohols. Ethers; 75.160.20 - Liquid fuels. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
EN 16136:2015 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to EN 16136:2011, EN ISO 4259-1:2026, EN ISO 4259-2:2026, EN ISO 4259-1:2017, EN ISO 1042:1999, EN ISO 4259-2:2017, EN ISO 3171:1999, EN ISO 3170:2025, EN ISO 12185:2024, EN ISO 3675:1998, CEN/TS 18227:2025, EN 228:2025, EN 228:2012+A1:2017, EN 15940:2016. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
EN 16136:2015 is associated with the following European legislation: EU Directives/Regulations: 98/70/EC. When a standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Union, products manufactured in conformity with it benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation.
EN 16136:2015 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.QþHQHPGXNWLYQRKraftstoffe für Kraftfahrzeuge - Bestimmung des Mangan- und Eisengehaltes in unverbleitem Ottokraftstoff - Optische Emissionsspektrometrie mit induktiv gekoppeltem Plasma (ICP OES)Carburants pour automobiles - Détermination des teneurs en fer et en manganèse dans les essences sans plomb - Méthode spectrométrique optique par plasma à couplage inductif (ICP OES)Automotive fuels - Determination of manganese and iron content in unleaded petrol - Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) method75.160.20Liquid fuels71.040.50Fizikalnokemijske analitske metodePhysicochemical methods of analysisICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 16136:2015SIST EN 16136:2015en,fr,de01-april-2015SIST EN 16136:2015SLOVENSKI
STANDARDSIST EN 16136:20121DGRPHãþD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 16136
February 2015 ICS 71.080.60; 75.160.20 Supersedes EN 16136:2011English Version
Automotive fuels - Determination of manganese and iron content in unleaded petrol - Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) method
Carburants pour automobiles - Détermination des teneurs en fer et en manganèse dans les essences sans plomb - Méthode spectrométrique optique par plasma à couplage inductif (ICP OES)
Kraftstoffe für Kraftfahrzeuge - Bestimmung des Gehaltes an Mangan und Eisen in unverbleitem Ottokraftstoff - Optische Emissionsspektrometrie mit induktiv gekoppeltem Plasma (ICP OES) This European Standard was approved by CEN on 12 December 2014.
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. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists 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, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.
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