BS EN ISO 8502-11 describes a field method for the assessment of the surface density of water-soluble sulfate on steel surfaces before and/or after surface preparation.
There are a number of methods for the analysis of sulfates in solution. However, most of these are for laboratory use and very few are suitable for field use, i.e. in conjunction with sampling in workshops, at building sites, on board ships, etc., often under severe environmental conditions.
This field method for sulfates, and the corresponding methods of analysis that have been developed for other contaminants (such as ferrous ions, chlorides, and oil and grease) are intended to be used in conjunction with the Bresle method for the removal of contaminants from a surface, BS EN ISO 8502-6. These methods of analysis provide results which, after application of a simple conversion factor, indicate directly the amount of contaminants per unit surface area, usually expressed in mg/m2. The same method of analysis can also be used in conjunction with other contaminant extraction methods.