ASTM International

Standard Practice for Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (Excluding Formaldehyde) Emissions from Wood-Based Panels Using Small Environmental Chambers Under Defined Test Conditions
 N D6330

Annotation

The practice measures the volatile organic compounds (VOC), excluding formaldehyde, emitted from manufactured wood-based panels. A pre-screening analysis is used to identify the VOCs emitted from the panel. Emission factors (that is, emission rates per unit surface area) for the VOCs of interest are then determined by measuring the concentrations in a small environmental test chamber containing a specimen. The test chamber is ventilated at a constant air change rate under the standard environmental conditions. For formaldehyde determination, see Test Method D6007.

This practice describes a test method that is specific to the measurement of VOC emissions from newly manufactured individual wood-based panels, such as particleboard, plywood, and oriented strand board (OSB), for the purpose of comparing the emission characteristics of different products under the standard test condition. For general guidance on conducting small environmental chamber tests, see Guide D5116.

VOC concentrations in the environmental test chamber are determined by adsorption on an appropriate single adsorbent tube or multi-adsorbent tube, followed by thermal desorption and combined gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC/ MS) or gas chromatograph/flame ionization detection (GC/ FID). The air sampling procedure and the analytical method recommended in this practice are generally valid for the identification and quantification of VOCs with saturation vapor pressure between 500 and 0.01 kPa at 25°C, depending on the selection of adsorbent(s).

NOTE 1—VOCs being captured by an adsorbent tube depend on the adsorbent(s) and sampling procedure selected (see Practice D6196). The user should have a thorough understanding of the limitations of each adsorbent used.