PPM

The concentration of a substance is measured in dimensional and non-dimensional terms. The

amount of a substance per unit volume is a dimensional parameter. In contrast, the amount of
substance with respect to other substances present in the mixture, such as mole fraction, mass
fraction, mass ratio, and ppm, are non-dimensional values.
Like mol and mass fractions, ppm represents the fractional amount of a substance in a very
dilute solution.
PPM stands for parts per million, i.e., one ppm means 1 unit of a substance in 1,000,000 units
of the mixture. The unit of measure of the substance and mixture can be in terms of w/w, w/v,
v/v, or mol/mol.

For Liquid mixture:

Adding 1 g of salt (solute) in 999,999 g of water (solvent) will make a solution of 1,000,000
g containing 1g of solute. That defines one ppm of solute in water. Since the density of water
is close to 1 g/cc (or 1000 kg/m3, or 1,000,000 g/m3), one ppm salt solution in water will
contain 1 g salt in 1 m3 of water. In other words,
1 ppm = 1 g/m3 = 1 mg/L. (w/v)
The simplicity of this definition of one ppm concentration in water has attracted engineers to
report low concentrations of solute in terms of ppm as mg/L or g/m3 for all solutions,
irrespective of the density of the solvent.

Gaseous mixture
The ideal gas law applies in the case of gases, particularly at atmospheric pressure.
𝑃𝑉 = 𝑛𝑅𝑇
Hence, calculations on a molar basis are more convenient for gaseous mixtures. In the above
ideal gas law, 𝑉 is the total volume of 𝑛 moles of a gas (not the molar volume).
Let us consider a case when nA moles of a gaseous substance A is mixed with another gas
(both at the same temperature 𝑇 and pressure 𝑃) such that the total number of moles of the
mixture is 𝑛.
Here, the concentration of A in ppm is given by
𝑛𝐴 𝑉𝐴
𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑚 = × 1,000,000 (= × 1,000,000)
𝑛 𝑉
Multiplying the above equation by the molecular weight of the substance A so that 𝑛𝐴 . 𝑀𝐴
gives the mass 𝑚 (in grams) of the substance A in the mixture, giving
𝑛𝐴 . 𝑀𝐴
𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑚 . 𝑀𝐴 = × 106
𝑃𝑉
(𝑅𝑇 )
Or
𝑅𝑇 𝑚
𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑚 = ( ) × 106 [mol of 𝐴 per million mol of a mixture]
𝑃𝑉 𝑀𝐴
Dimension of the universal gas constant 𝑅 depends on the units of pressure, volume, and
𝑃 𝑉
temperature. Therefore, to avoid any confusion, it is better to use 𝑅 = 0𝑇 0 where 𝑉0 is the
0
molar volume of a gas at standard temperature, 𝑇0 , and pressure, 𝑃0 . Giving
𝑃0 𝑉0 𝑇 𝑚
𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑚 = ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) × 106
𝑃 𝑉 𝑇0 𝑀𝐴
Where 𝑃, 𝑉, and 𝑇 are the pressure, volume, and temperature of the mixture and
𝑇0 = 273.15 K = 491.67 R,
𝑃0 = 1 atm. = 1.01325 bar = 101325 Pa = 760 Torr = 14.6959 psi
are the standard temperature and pressure (STP) at which the molar volume of a gas is
𝑉0 = 22.41 L = 0.02241 m3 = 0.7914 ft 3 = 1367.5421 in3 .
Example

In a large closed room of size 10m x 6m x 3.5m, 200 ml of ethanol is spilled over the floor
and evaporates quickly. Calculate the ethanol concentration in ppm. The molecular weight
and density of ethanol are 46 g/mol, and 792 kg/m3, respectively. The temperature in the
room is 30°C.

Solution

Mass of Ethanol = 200 ml * 792 kg/m3 * (1/1000000) m3/ml * 1000 g/kg = 158.4 g

Alternatively
ml kg 1 m3 1000 g
200 * 792 = 158.4 g
m3 1000000 ml 1 kg

Volume of the room = 10 * 6 * 3.5 = 210 m3

Since pressure is not specified, it should be 1 standard atm.

Substituting in the equation for 𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑚 we have

1 0.02241 273.15 + 30 158.4

𝐶𝑝𝑝𝑚 = ( ) ( )( )( ) × 106 = 408 ppm
1 210 273.15 46

The threshold limit value (TLV) is 200 ppm averaged over an 8-hour work shift and 250 ppm
as a STEL (short-term exposure limit). Therefore, the room should be immediately evacuated
till the proper ventilation is done.

The point to consider is how much time is required for proper ventilation and the ventilation
rate.