A ROUTINE METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE TVOC CONTENT IN WALLCOVERINGS USING HEADSPACE GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A method for the fast routine analysis of the total content of volatil e organic compounds in wallcoverings and paper products was developed, using headspace gas-chromatography for quantification. 57 wallcoverin gs of different types were investigated. Typical components were tolue ne, methyl-ethyl ketone, methyl-iso-butyl ketone, n-butyl acetate and iso-butyl acetate, all compounds being used as industrial solvents. Th e TVOC concentrations are calculated in toluene-carbon equivalents and ranged from 0.31 mu g/g to 1789 mu g/g with an average value of 123.2 2 mu g/g and a median of 20.37 mu g/g. To obtain an estimation of VOC- concentrations in indoor air, 10 selected wallcoverings were also anal yzed in a 1 m(3) climate test chamber. A correlation between headspace data and chamber concentrations could not be observed, which might be a result of increased analytical uncertainties at low emission rates under chamber conditions.