Sorptive interactions between VOCs and indoor materials

This study was carried out using various materials (carpet, gypsum board, u pholstery, vinyl and wood flooring, acoustic tiles, and fruit) that were ex posed to eight gaseous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (isopropanol, MTBE , cyclohexane, toluene, ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethene, 1,2-dichlorobenzen e, and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene) in electro-polished stainless-steel chambers . Dynamic responses in VOC concentrations were used to determine linear ads orption and desorption rate coefficients and equilibrium partition coeffici ents. A linear adsorption/desorption model was used to effectively describe the interactions between VOCs and indoor surface materials for short-term source events (10 h). Relationships between sorption parameters and chemica l vapor pressure and the octanol-air partition coefficient were observed. C arpet was identified as the most significant sorptive sink for non-polar VO Cs. Virgin gypsum board was observed to be a significant sink for highly po lar VOCs. Sorptive interactions between non-polar VOCs and indoor materials were not affected by variations in relative humidity. However, increases i n relative humidity were observed to increase the degree of sorption of iso propanol to carpet.