ASTM D6670-13 - 1.4.2013
 
Significance and Use

5.1 VOCs emitted from materials/products affect indoor air quality (IAQ) in buildings. To determine the impact of these emissions on IAQ, it is necessary to know their emission rates over time. This practice provides guidelines for using a full-scale environmental chamber for testing large materials and full-scale material systems/assemblies.

5.2 While this practice is developed for measuring VOC emissions, the chamber facilities and methods of evaluation presented in this practice are also useful for a variety of purposes including: (1) testing the emissions during the application process (for example, painting), or other related sources; (2) developing scaleup methods (for example, from small chamber results to a full-scale scenario); (3) studying the interaction between sources and sinks, and validating source/sink models which are the basis for IAQ prediction; (4) testing interactions between source emissions and other compounds in the air (for example, NOx, ozone, SOx); and (5) evaluating the performance of air cleaning devices intended to remove contaminants from indoor air.

 
1. Scope

1.1 This practice is intended for determining volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from materials and products (building materials, material systems, furniture, consumer products, etc.) and equipment (printers, photocopiers, air cleaners, etc.) under environmental and product usage conditions that are typical of those found in office and residential buildings.

1.2 This practice is for identifying VOCs emitted and determining their emission rates over a period of time.

1.3 This practice describes the design, construction, performance evaluation, and use of full-scale chambers for VOC emission testing.

1.4 While this practice is limited to the measurement of VOC emissions, many of the general principles and procedures (such as methods for evaluating the general performance of the chamber system) may also be useful for the determination of other chemical emissions (for example, ozone, nitrogen dioxide). Determination of aerosol and particle emissions is beyond the scope of this document.

1.5 Values stated in the International System of Units (SI) are to be regarded as the standard.

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

 
2. Referenced Documents

ISO 14644-1:1999

Cleanrooms and Associated Controlled Environments--Part 1: Classification of Air Cleanliness

Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air, Compendium Methods TO-15 and TO-17, EPA/625/R-96-010b, January 1999, (NTIS No. PB99-172355)

D5466-21

Standard Test Method for Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Atmospheres (Canister Sampling, Mass Spectrometry Analysis Methodology)

D6345-10

Standard Guide for Selection of Methods for Active, Integrative Sampling of Volatile Organic Compounds in Air (Withdrawn 2018)

D7706-17(2023)

Standard Practice for Rapid Screening of VOC Emissions from Products Using Micro-Scale Chambers

E741-24

Standard Test Method for Determining Air Change in a Single Zone by Means of a Tracer Gas Dilution

E779-19

Standard Test Method for Determining Air Leakage Rate by Fan Pressurization

E1333-22

Standard Test Method for Determining Formaldehyde Concentrations in Air and Emission Rates from Wood Products Using a Large Chamber

IEEE/ASTM?SI-10

Standard for Use of the International System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System

ACGIH 2012

(American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists), Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices. Cincinnati, OH

ASHRAE 2010a, ASHRAE 62.1-2010

Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Atlanta, GA.

ASHRAE 2010b, ASHRAE 62.2-2010

Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Atlanta, GA.

CMEIAQ 1999a

A Method for Sampling and Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Emission Testing of Building Materials. Final Report 1.1 Consortium for Material Emissions and Indoor Air Quality, Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Canada

CMEIAQ 1999b

Models for Predicting Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Building Materials. Final Report 3.1 Consortium for Material Emissions and Indoor Air Quality, Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Canada

ECA-IAQ (European Collaborative Action)

Indoor Air Quality and Its Impact on Man, 1997. Total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) in indoor air quality investigations. Report No. 19. EUR 17675 EN. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Community

U.S. EPA

Compendium of Methods for Determination of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air, Report EPA-600/4-89/017 available through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161; PB90-116989. This report contains TO-17

World Health Organization, 1989

Indoor Air Quality: Organic Pollutants, EURO Reports and Studies No. 111, World Health Organization, Copenhagen, pp. 1-64

D6196-23

Standard Practice for Choosing Sorbents, Sampling Parameters and Thermal Desorption Analytical Conditions for Monitoring Volatile Organic Chemicals in Air

D1356-20a

Standard Terminology Relating to Sampling and Analysis of Atmospheres (Includes all amendments and changes 9/7/2020).

D1914-95(2022)

Standard Practice for Conversion Units and Factors Relating to Sampling and Analysis of Atmospheres

D3686-20

Standard Practice for Sampling Atmospheres to Collect Organic Compound Vapors (Activated Charcoal Tube Adsorption Method)

D5116-25

Standard Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products

D5197-21

Standard Test Method for Determination of Formaldehyde and Other Carbonyl Compounds in Air (Active Sampler Methodology)