A new analytical method for the analysis of total silicon in gaseous biofuels was developed in the laboratory for the chemistry of the Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina (IMBIH). Organic silicon species in biogas and associated gaseous biofuels are one of the most significant impurities, the level of which must be continuously monitored for their negative impact on biogas combustion plants due to the formation and deposition of abrasive silica.

The method was published in May 2023 as a new ISO method ISO 2613-1:2023 Analysis of natural gas — Silicon content of biomethane — Part 1: Determination of total silicon by atomic emission spectroscopy (AES). This standard describes a method for determining the total mass concentration of silicon in biomethane, biogas, and similar gaseous matrices, and is based on the absorption and derivatization of silicon species from the gaseous matrix, and on instrumental analysis using the atomic emission spectrometry technique.

The method was developed as part of the activities of the scientific research project EMPIR 16ENG05 Metrology for Biomethane, in which IMBIH participated together with the national metrology institutes of the Netherlands (VSL), Great Britain (NPL), Germany (PTB), Sweden (RISE), and Finland (VTT), and a number of external partners from the European scientific and industrial community. The project was dedicated to the development of traceable test methods for the purposes of assessing the conformity of the product - biomethane for injection into the established natural gas grid, and in terms of the application of the EN 16723 standard - Natural gas and biomethane for use in transport and biomethane for injection in the natural gas network.