Measurement of in-vehicle volatile organic compounds under static conditions.

The types and quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inside vehicles have been determined in one new vehicle and two old vehicles under static conditions using the Thermodesorber-Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (TD-GC/MS). Air sampling and analysis was conducted under the requirement of USEPA Method TO-17. A room-size, environment test chamber was utilized to provide stable and accurate control of the required environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, horizontal and vertical airflow velocity, and background VOCs concentration). Static vehicle testing demonstrated that although the amount of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) detected within each vehicle was relatively distinct (4940 microg/m3 in the new vehicle A, 1240 microg/m3 in used vehicle B, and 132 microg/m3 in used vehicle C), toluene, xylene, some aromatic compounds, and various C7-C12 alkanes were among the predominant VOC species in all three vehicles tested. In addition, tetramethyl succinonitrile, possibly derived from foam cushions was detected in vehicle B. The types and quantities of VOCs varied considerably according to various kinds of factors, such as, vehicle age, vehicle model, temperature, air exchange rate, and environment airflow velocity. For example, if the airflow velocity increases from 0.1 m/s to 0.7 m/s, the vehicle's air exchange rate increases from 0.15 h(-1) to 0.67 h(-1), and in-vehicle TVOC concentration decreases from 1780 to 1201 microg/m3.

[Volatile organic compounds concentrations and sources inside new air-conditioned bus].

The distributing profile and concentration level inside new air-conditioned buses with 53 seats have been determined using the method of thermal desorption-capillary GC/MS under vehicle static conditions. Compounds were identified from their mass spectral data by using US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST02). The total numbers of identified components were 33 inside buses, including alkenes (15,45.4%), aromatic compounds (9,27.3%), alcohols (4,12.1%), ketones (3,9.1%) and esters (2,6.1%), especially in the range of C6-C10. The top 5 compounds measured inside buses were decane (8.01 mg/m3), 3-methylhexane (7.10 mg/m3), heptane (5.10 mg/m3), isoheptane (4.20 mg/m3) and 1-Methyl-3-ethylbenzene (3.56 mg/m3), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) > 52.5 mg/m3. The main sources of in-vehicle hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds comes from cabin components and interior trim materials (e.g., sealants, carpets, adhesives, paints, leather, plastics, PU foam and PE foam) that may retain certain VOCs during manufacturing, and/or emit these compounds over an extended period of time from off-gassing, aging-related breakdown products, heating/cooling and so on.