Long/Short-Term Performance Test for Evaluating the Reduction of Indoor Formaldehyde Using Sorptive Building Materials

Abstract

In this paper, a test method for evaluating the ability of sorptive building materials to reduce the concentration of formaldehyde is examined. The authors developed a new method that uses a small chamber to test the suppressive effect of sorptive building material on formaldehyde-emitting materials. Two small chambers were prepared, with the formaldehyde-emitting building material placed in one chamber and a composite building material comprised of sorptive building material attached to the formaldehyde-emitting building material in the other. The formaldehyde emission factors of the two chambers were compared, and the equivalent ventilation rate Qads was calculated. The test method would enable the indoor concentration reducing performance and the suppressive performance of the sorptive building materials to be evaluated at the same time. The suppressive effects of several kinds of sorptive building materials were examined, and accordingly the validity of the test method was verified. The continuous reduction performance of indoor formaldehyde for sorptive building materials using sorption breakthrough capacity method was also evaluated.