Emissions of volatile species from flexible polyurethane foam mattresses were investigated by using large scale chamber tests designed to replicate the product use as mattress cores. Various trace impurities were identified and their concentrations were measured for input into a human health and toxicity risk assessment, which has concluded that none was injurious to health. The raw materials used to make the foam were analysed to identify the source of emanations and routes to their reduction or elimination. Several analytical artefacts were identified, and some recommendations made for their avoidance. Detailed product knowledge was essential to the reliable interpretation of analytical data. A quantitative risk assessment was carried out on each of the volatiles. No evidence of any human health risk was identified from the ‘worst-case’ exposure model employed

Quality of life in Western populations is becoming an ever-growing concern. Higher demands are made in regard to for example comfort and safety. Low emissions of volatile organic compounds and odour criteria have become key performance requirements in most applications. To address this issue, the entire supply chain, from producers to end-users attempts to find ways and means to identify, understand and reduce unexpected emissions and odours. Standard test methods have been developed for the evaluation of a wide range of product/materials emissions. A wide variety of experimental techniques as well as instrumental methods have been used for the sampling and the identification/quantification of volatile components emitted by materials. Work reported here includes the sensory and chemical evaluation of volatiles at low concentration levels (usually in the ppm or even the ppb range). This paper describes the work conducted by EUROPUR (European Association of Flexible Polyurethane Foam Block Manufacturers) for the identification of odour emanating from PU samples. The data shown in this work gives some evidence for the potential contribution of very minor compounds emitted by PU samples to the odour. GC-MS-olfactometry was used to determine which components of the complex mixture of VOCs were primarily responsible for the perceived odour.

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