Small Chamber Tests for Measurement of VOC Emissions from Flooring Adhesives

Abstract

Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from building products can adversely affect indoor air quality. Within Europe, standard test methods have been developed to determine VOC emissions from building products, which form a basis for labelling of low emission products. This paper assesses the reproducibility of testing of VOC emissions from a flooring adhesive using a 1 m3 environmental chamber and a BRE micro-chamber. The adhesive was used for a recent inter-laboratory comparison to validate a labelling scheme called EMICODE, for controlling emissions of VOCs from flooring products. There was good agreement of results from the repeated BRE 1 m3 environmental chamber tests, and to an acceptable degree, the micro-chamber test. Sample preparation and the analytical method were important factors affecting the reproducibility of testing in the inter-laboratory study. Results are also reported on the use of an emission cell (FLEC) to assess VOC emissions from flooring adhesives.

Labeling of volatile organic compounds emissions from Chinese furniture: Consideration and practice

“…For example, in code for indoor environmental pollution control of civil building engineering GB 50325-2010 [5], only formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) are limited, and formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, and TVOC are concerned in indoor air quality standard GB/T 18883-2002 [6]. Furniture is mainly made of wood-based panel, adhesive and paint which can emit lots of VOCs [14][15][16]. Chinese furniture may be made from different wood-based panel, adhesive and paint than American and European furniture, and therefore emit a different set of VOCs.…”

Exposure Risk Assessment of the Emissions of Wood Preservative Chemicals in Indoor Environments

“…The emission of terpenes would depend on the condition of the timber available; a-pinene was consistently found in all the timbers tested by BRE but not the other terpenes, such as b-pinene and 3-carene [22]. The sample P6 (a pine sample pretreated with a solvent based wood preservative) showed a relatively higher emission rate of a-pinene in comparison to the pine sample treated by the water based formulation and the untreated pine sample.…”

Evaluation of formaldehyde and VOCs emission factors from paints in a small chamber: The effects of preconditioning time and coating weight

“…Building and furnishing materials are important sources of VOCs and formaldehyde that contribute to indoor air pollution. A large number of VOCs and formaldehyde are emitted from flooring, wall coverings, adhesives and coating products, and have the potential to cause adverse health effects in the building occupants [5][6][7]. Many building products based on natural raw materials behave as secondary emission sources and generally continue to emit VOCs and formaldehyde, as opposed to synthetic building products [8].…”