Impact of temperature and humidity on chemical and sensory emissions from building materials.

The chemical and sensory emissions from five building materials (carpet, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring, sealant, floor varnish and wall paint) were tested under different combinations of temperature and relative humidity in the ranges 18-28 degrees C and 30-70% relative humidity (RH). The experiment was performed in a climate chamber where a specially designed test system was built to study emissions from the five materials. The test system could provide different temperatures and humidities of air around the materials, while the air, after being polluted by the emissions from the materials, could be reconditioned to 23 degrees C and 50% RH for sensory assessments. The experiment was designed to separate the direct impact of temperature and humidity on perception from the impact on sensory emission. The study found little influence of temperature on the emissions from the five materials whether expressed in chemical or sensory terms. The effect of humidity was found to be significant only for the waterborne materials--floor varnish and wall paint. Compared with the direct impact of temperature and humidity on the perception of air quality, the impact of temperature and humidity on sensory emissions from the building materials has a secondary influence on perceived air quality.