Development of formaldehyde flux sampler using a commercial DNPH cartridge

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 196; p. 107795
• Main Authors: Won, Doyun, Nong, Gang, So, Stephanie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Building materials; Buildings; Cartridges; Chamber test; Chambers; Construction; Construction materials; Consumer products; Diameters; Diffusion length; Emission analysis; Emitters; Formaldehyde; Indoor air pollution; Laboratory tests; Onsite; Passive flux sampler; Wood products; Building materials; Passive flux sampler; Chamber test; Formaldehyde
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107795

Building materials and consumer products are main sources of formaldehyde emitted in non-smoking environments. Identifying major emitters in existing buildings is difficult since the emission factors (EFs) are typically determined in a chamber test that is not suitable for on-site measurement. In this study, a new passive flux sampler (PFS) was developed for on-site measurement of formaldehyde EFs from building materials. The PFS is non-invasive and suitable for a long-term test (4–7 days) that is based on a commercially available 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridge. Five designs of PFS with different diffusion lengths and diameters were tested with 8 composite wood products (CWPs). The PFS with a diffusion length of 20 mm and a diameter of 10 mm (PFS-D1) was shown to have the EFs comparable to those from conventional chamber tests. Laboratory tests showed that the PFS-D1 has acceptable variability (<21% of relative standard deviation) and sensitivity that can collect mass above detection limit for 4–7 day sampling. The PFS-D1 was used to determine EFs of 5–9 CWPs in a research house at 3 and 8 months after construction. The EFs were used to predict the indoor formaldehyde concentration, which led to good agreement (±25%) with the measured concentration. The major emitters were determined to be CWPs such as floor and door, indicating that PFS-D1 is a useful tool to identify and prioritize formaldehyde sources in existing buildings. [Display omitted] •A passive flux sampler is developed for on-site measurement of formaldehyde emissions.•The sampler consists of a commercial DNPH cartridge with a diffusion length of 20 mm.•Emission factors measured with the sampler are comparable to those from chamber tests.•The sampler has precision and detection range acceptable for 4–7 day sampling.