Comparison of the Substrate Effect on VOC Emissions from Water based Varnish and Latex Paint

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2003

Authors

Gabriela Silva (Author) FEUP; M. Teresa S. D. Vasconcelos (Author) Other; Armando Santos (Author) FEUP; Eduardo Oliveira Fernandes (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Vol. 10 No. 4

Pages: 209-216

ISSN: 0944-1344

Publisher: Springer Nature

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Other engineering and technologies

Other information

DOI: 10.1065/espr2002.12.144

Abstract (EN): Background, Aims and Scope. The building materials are recognised to be major contributors to indoor air contamination by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The improvement of the quality of the environment within buildings is a topic of increasing research and public interest. Legislation in preparation by the European Commission may induce, in the near future, European Union Member States to solicit the industries of paints, varnishes and flooring materials for taking measures, in order to reduce the VOC emissions resulting from the use of their products. Therefore, product characterisation and information about the influence of environmental parameters on the VOC emissions are fundamental for providing the basic scientific information required to allow architects, engineers, builders, and building owners to provide a healthy environment for building occupants. On the other hand, the producers of coating building materials require this information to introduce technological alterations, when necessary, in order to improve the ecological quality of their products, and to make them more competitive. Studies of VOC emissions from wet materials, like paints and varnishes, have usually been conducted after applying the material on inert substrates, due to its non-adsorption and non-porosity properties. However, in real indoor environments, these materials are applied on substrates of a different nature. One aim of this work was to study, for the first time, the VOC emissions from a latex paint applied on concrete. The influence of the substrate (uncoated cork parquet, eucalyptus parquet without finishing and pine parquet with finishing) on the emissions of VOC from a water-based varnish was also studied. For comparison purposes, polyester film (an inert substrate) was used for both wet materials.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8