Abstract
Some types of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) that are emitted from plastics used in building materials and household appliances have been associated with health risks, even at low concentrations. It has been reported that di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)—one of the most commonly used plasticizers—causes asthma and allergic symptoms in children at home. The amount of emitted DEHP, which is classified as a SVOC, can be measured using a microchamber by the thermal desorption test chamber method. To accurately measure the SVOC emission rates, the relation between SVOC and environmental factors should be clarified. Herein, we examined the effects of the temperature, relative humidity, concentration of airborne particles, and flow field in the microchamber on SVOC emission rates. The flow fields inside the microchamber were analyzed via computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The emission rate of SVOC released from PVC flooring increased under high temperatures and at high concentrations of airborne particles but did not depend on the relative humidity. From an evaluation performed using an index of air change efficiency, such as the air age and the coefficient of air change performance, we found that a fixed air exchange rate of 1.5 h−1 in the microchamber is desirable.
Highlights
Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are used as plasticizers in building materials, interior materials, furniture, and consumer electronics
The air age and the coe cient of the air change performance η in the microchamber were investigated [23]. e air age is de ned as the length of time t during which a speci c amount of outdoor air has been in a building, zone, or space, and the coe cient of the air change performance is de ned as an air distribution system’s ability to deliver ventilation air to a building, zone, or space [24]
When the microchamber method is utilized as the standard testing method, it is essential to set the temperature to a constant level to ensure that the performance of the experimental sample is evaluated uniformly
Summary
Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are used as plasticizers in building materials, interior materials, furniture, and consumer electronics. Ey determined the emission rate of SVOCs from various types of materials and investigated the recovery ratios of the microchamber using reference materials [18, 21]. They selected a number of factors, including background concentration, loading factor, specimen orientation, time, type of gas supplied, and process effects on the inner surface of the microchamber, which were expected to affect the emission behavior of SVOCs with the microchamber method and reported the results [21, 22]. To investigate the factors that influence the emission rate of SVOCs, it is essential to investigate the Advances in Civil Engineering
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