ASTM_D_5116_-_10.pdf

Designation:D511610Standard Guide forSmall-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations ofOrganic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5116;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide provides guidance on determination of emis-sions of organic compounds from indoor materials and prod-ucts using small-scale environmental test chambers.1.2 This guide pertains to chambers that fully enclose amaterial specimen to be tested and does not address otheremission chamber designs such as emission cells(see insteadPractice D7143).1.3 As an ASTM standard,this guide describes options,butdoes not recommend specific courses of action.This guide isnot a standard test method and must not be construed as such.1.4 The use of small environmental test chambers to char-acterize the organic emissions of indoor materials and productsis still evolving.Modifications and variations in equipment,testing procedures,and data analysis are made as the work inthe area progresses.For several indoor materials,more detailedASTM standards for emissions testing have now been devel-oped.Where more detailed ASTM standard practices ormethods exist,they supersede this guide and should be used inits place.Until the interested parties agree upon standardtesting protocols,differences in approach will occur.This guidewill continue to provide assistance by describing equipmentand techniques suitable for determining organic emissionsfrom indoor materials.Specific examples are provided toillustrate existing approaches;these examples are not intendedto inhibit alternative approaches or techniques that will pro-duce equivalent or superior results.1.5 Small chambers have obvious limitations.Normally,only samples of larger materials(for example,carpet)aretested.Small chambers are not applicable for testing completeassemblages(for example,furniture).Small chambers are alsoinappropriate for testing combustion devices(for example,kerosene heaters)or activities(for example,use of aerosolspray products).For some products,small chamber testing mayprovide only a portion of the emission profile of interest.Forexample,the rate of emissions from the application of highsolvent materials(for example,paints and waxes)via brushing,spraying,rolling,etc.are generally higher than the rate duringthe drying process.Small chamber testing can not be used toevaluate the application phase of the coating process.Large(orfull-scale)chambers may be more appropriate for many ofthese applications.For guidance on full-scale chamber testingof emissions from indoor materials refer to Practice D6670.1.6 This guider does not provide specific guidance for theselection of sampling media or for the analysis of volatileorganics.This information is provided in Practice D6196.1.7 The guide does not provide specific guidance for deter-mining emissions of formaldehyde from pressed woodproducts,since large chamber testing methods for such emis-sions are well developed and widely used.For more informa-tion refer to Test Method E1333.It is possible,however,thatthe guide could be used to support alternative testing methods.1.8 This guide is applicable to the determination of emis-sions from products and materials that may be used indoors.The effects of the emissions(for example,toxicity)are notaddressed and are beyond the scope of the guide.Guide D6485provides an example of the assessment of acute and irritanteffects of VOC emissions for a given material.Specification of“target”organic species of concern is similarly beyond thescope of this guide.As guideline levels for specific indoorcontaminants develop,so too will emission test protocols toprovide relevant information.Emissions databases and mate-rial labeling schemes will also be expected to adjust to reflectthe current state of knowledge.1.9 Specificsrelatedtotheacquisition,handling,conditioning,preparation,and testing of individual test speci-mens may vary depending on particular study objectives.Guidelines for these aspects of emissions testing are providedhere,specific direction is not mandated.The purpose of thisguide is to increase the awareness of the user to availabletechniques for evaluating organic emissions from indoormaterials/products via small chamber testing,to identify theessential aspects of emissions testing that must be controlledand documented,and therefore to provide information,whichmay lead to further evaluation and standardization.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D22 on Air Qualityand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D22.05 on Indoor Air.Current edition approved April 1,2010.Published April 2010.Originallyapproved in 1990.Last previous edition approved in 2006 as D5116 06.