This report reviews research into the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from paints and coatings from two perspectives: (a) drying and film formation, and (b) voc emission into indoor air. The former has been investigated by the paint industry for some decades, especially in relation to understanding drying mechanisms to assist product formulation and development. The latter is of more recent interest and is directed to predicting and controlling the impact of VOC emissions from paints and coatings on indoor air quality.
This project dealt with developing the method of using activated carbon cloth as a sampler for measuring volatile organic compounds (VOC's) in air. Strips of carbon cloth mounted in slide holders were tested as diffusive samplers. These were exposed to known concentrations of standard chemicals in test chambers. The adsorbed chemicals were extracted with sol vents and analyzed. The tests showed that relative humidity has some effect on adsorption, and carbon cloths from different manufacturers showed some variation in their performance.
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