ISO 176:2005规定了在活性炭存在下，在规定的雾凇和温度条件下定量测定塑料材料质量损失的两种经验方法。 方法A——试样与碳直接接触；该方法对于必须在相对较低温度下测试的材料特别有用，因为它们在较高温度下流动。 方法B——将试样放置在防止试样与碳直接接触的金属丝笼中。 这些方法尤其适用于增塑塑料材料中增塑剂的加热损失的定量测定，在这种情况下，通常假定不存在显著量的其它挥发性材料。它们是经验性测试方法，仅适用于相当快速地比较不同塑料中增塑剂或通常挥发性化合物的损失。 ISO 176:2005也适用于不同类型增塑剂的比较；在这种情况下，标准化合物应基于良好表征的树脂，以已知的树脂与增塑剂的比例制备。

ISO 176:2005 specifies two empirical methods for the quantitative determination of the loss of mass from a plastic material under defined conditions of rime and temperature, in the presence of activated carbon. Method A -- The test specimens are in direct contact with the carbon; this method is particularly useful for materials that have to be tested at relatively low temperatures because they flow at higher temperatures. Method B -- The test specimens are placed in wire cages that prevent direct contact between the test specimens and the carbon. These methods apply, in particular, to the quantitative determination of the loss on heating of plasticizers from plasticized plastic materials, in which case it is generally assumed that no significant amounts of other volatile materials are present. They are empirical test methods, suitable only for a rather rapid comparison of the losses of plasticizers or, in general, of volatile compounds, from different plastics. ISO 176:2005 also applies to the comparison of different types of plasticizers; in this case standard compounds should be prepared, on the basis of a well characterized resin, with known ratios of resin to plasticizer.