--- title: "2-Butanone (78-93-3): exposure limits and sampling" url: https://analyt-mtc.com/tools/hazard-search/2-butanone-78-93-3/ lang: en alternates: en: https://analyt-mtc.com/tools/hazard-search/2-butanone-78-93-3/ de: https://analyt-mtc.com/de/tools/gefahrstoffsuche/2-butanone-78-93-3/ --- Hazard search # 2-Butanone CAS number 78-93-3 Also known as 2-Butanone (Ketones I) · 2-Butanone (methyl ethyl ketone) · 2-Butanone (Methylethyl ketone: MEK) · Butan-2-one · Butan-2-one (MEK) · Ethyl methyl ketone · MEK · MEK (see methyl ethyl ketone) · Methyl acetone · Methyl ethyl ketone · Methyl ethyl ketone (Ketones I) · Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) (see 2-butanone) · Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK, 2-butanone) · Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK, 2-butanone) (see online Passive Sampling Guide) ## UK workplace exposure limits | Limit | Value | Applies to | | --- | --- | --- | | 8-hour TWA | 200 ppm | | | 8-hour TWA | 600 mg/m³ | | | 15-minute STEL | 300 ppm | | | 15-minute STEL | 899 mg/m³ | | ### Notations - BMGV: a biological monitoring guidance value exists - Sk: can be absorbed through the skin ## Sampling methods | Method | Sampling | Medium | Analysis | Part numbers | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **MDHS 72** / VOCs by thermal desorption and GC / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/mdhs/pdfs/mdhs72.pdf) | Active (pump) | Tenax (250mg) or Chromosorb 106 (300mg) thermal desorption tube | | [226-357](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-tenax-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-357) / [226-358](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-chromosorb-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-358) | | **MDHS 88** / VOCs by solvent desorption and GC-FID / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/mdhs/pdfs/mdhs88.pdf) | Passive | Anasorb CSC (350 mg) or Anasorb® 747 (500 mg) passive sampler | GC-FID | [575-001](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-organic-vapour-passive-samplers/#part-575-001) / [575-002](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-organic-vapour-passive-samplers/#part-575-002) | | **MDHS 96** / VOCs by solvent desorption and GC / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/mdhs/pdfs/mdhs96.pdf) | Active (pump) | Anasorb 747 tube (140/70mg) | GC-FID | [226-81A](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-anasorb-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-81a) | | **MDHS 104** / VOCs by thermal desorption and GC / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/mdhs/pdfs/mdhs104.pdf) | Active (pump) | Tenax TA (250mg) or Chromosorb 106 (300mg) thermal desorption tube | | [226-357](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-tenax-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-357) / [226-358](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-chromosorb-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-358) | | **NIOSH 2027** | | | GC-FID | | | **NIOSH 2500** / Methyl ethyl ketone by GC-FID / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-154/pdfs/2500.pdf) | Active (pump) | Anasorb 747 tube (140/70mg) | GC-FID | [226-81A](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-anasorb-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-81a) | | **NIOSH 2549** / VOCs (screening) by thermal desorption and GC -MS / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-154/pdfs/2549.pdf) | Active (pump) | Anasorb GCB2/GCB1/Carbosieve S-111 thermal desorption tube | | [226-330](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-thermal-desorption-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-330) | | **NIOSH 2555** | | | GC-FID | | | **OSHA 1004** / 2-Butanone & Hexone by GC-FID / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/methods/osha-1004.pdf) | Active (pump) | Anasorb CMS tubes (150/75mg) | | | | **OSHA 1004** / 2-Butanone & Hexone by GC-FID / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/methods/osha-1004.pdf) | Passive | Passive sampler | GC-FID | [575-002](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-organic-vapour-passive-samplers/#part-575-002) | | **OSHA 1004** | | | GC-FID | | | **OSHA 1004** | | | GC-FID | | | **ASTM D5197-21** / Formaldehyde & other carbonyl compounds in air by HPLC/UV / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.astm.org/d5197-21.html) | Active (pump) | Coated silca gel tube (300/150 mg) or coated silica gel tube with oxidiser 1500/300/150 mg) | | [226-119](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-silica-gel-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-119) / [226-120](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-silica-gel-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-120) | | **EPA TO-17** / VOCs by thermal desorption and GC / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/documents/to-17r.pdf) | Active (pump) | Two Thermal Desorption tubes | TD, GC | [226-350](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-anasorb-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-350) / [226-347](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-anasorb-sorbent-tubes/#part-226-347) / [224-26-02](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-gas-and-vapour-sampling-accessories/#part-224-26-02) / [224-26-CPC](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-gas-and-vapour-sampling-accessories/#part-224-26-cpc) | | **Non-agency** / Methyl ethyl ketone by Colorimetric analysis | Direct-reading | Gastec Detector Tube | | [810-152](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-colour-gas-detector-tubes/#part-gst-152) / [810-152L](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-colour-gas-detector-tubes/#part-gst-152l) / [810-151L](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-colour-gas-detector-tubes/#part-gst-151l) | | **Non-agency** / VOCs by solvent extraction and GC / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.skcltd.com/images/pdfs/ULTRA_Selection_Guide_April_2017.pdf) | Passive | Anasorb CSC (500mg) passive sampler | | [690-105](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-105) | | **Non-agency** / VOCs by thermal desorption and GC / [Method document (opens in a new tab)](https://www.skcltd.com/images/pdfs/ULTRA_Selection_Guide_April_2017.pdf) | Passive | Anasorb GBC1 (370mg) or Chromosorb 106 (285 mg) passive sampler | | [690-101](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-101) / [690-103](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-103) | | **Non-agency** / Methyl ethyl ketone by Colorimetric analysis | Passive | Gastec Dosi-Tube | | [810-152D](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-passive-dosi-tubes/#part-gst-152d) / [810-91D](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-passive-dosi-tubes/#part-gst-91d) / [810-151D](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-passive-dosi-tubes/#part-gst-151d) | | **Other** | Passive | | GC-FID | [575-001](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-organic-vapour-passive-samplers/#part-575-001) | | **Other** | Passive | | GC-FID | [575-002](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-organic-vapour-passive-samplers/#part-575-002) | | **Other** | Passive | | TD, GC | [690-101](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-101) / [690-103](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-103) | | **Other** | Passive | | GC-FID | [690-105](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-105) | | **Other** | Passive | | DR | [810-151D](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-passive-dosi-tubes/#part-gst-151d) / [810-152D](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-passive-dosi-tubes/#part-gst-152d) / [810-91D](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/gastec-passive-dosi-tubes/#part-gst-91d) | | **Other Internal** | Passive | | TD, GC | [690-101](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-101) / [690-103](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-103) | | **Other Internal** | Passive | | GC-FID | [690-105](https://analyt-mtc.com/catalog/product/skc-ultra-passive-samplers/#part-690-105) | Methods and limits as published by their agencies and summarised by SKC; check the current method and the limit that applies to you before sampling. Source: [SKC Ltd (UK), Hazard Search, used with SKC's permission (opens in a new tab)](https://www.skcltd.com/hazard-search.html); [SKC Inc. (USA), Sampling Guides, used with SKC's permission (opens in a new tab)](https://international.skcinc.com/sampling-guides/)