Assessment of the Emission Characteristics of VOCs from Interior Furniture Materials during the Construction Process

Abstract

In this study, the indoor concentrations of pollutants from different materials that are used in kitchens and living rooms are measured during the construction process. The measurements are carried out in three households: the first is built using only conventional materials, the second household uses some environmentally sound materials and the last uses nothing but environmentally sound materials. The construction stage that had the greatest effect on indoor pollutant concentration is evaluated after installing all of the materials and measuring the indoor concentrations throughout the construction process. The pollutant concentration is measured 10 times at different stages of construction and in the days following the completion of construction. Results show that the living room and kitchen furniture made of particle board and MDF emits the largest amounts of pollutants. In addition, of all the pollutants measured, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene, 1,4-dichloro-benzene and formaldehyde, only toluene did not satisfy the Indoor Air Quality Management Act of Korea. The toluene concentration increase rapidly after the introduction of kitchen and living room indoor furniture. This is due to the material of which the furniture is composed and these results are validated using a small chamber method.