Test Methods

Document Title:  Standard Method for the Testing and Evaluation of Volatile Organic Chemical Emissions from Indoor Sources Using Environmental Chambers, Version 1.1
Developer:  California Department of Public Health
Summary of Scope:  Emission testing and evaluation standard for CA Specification Section 01350. Applicable to the  full range of building products including paints and adhesives that can be tested in small-scale chambers. Adopts ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2007 for furniture products. Acceptance criteria are referenced to CA OEHHA chronic RELs. Supercedes CA/DHS/EHLB/R-174, 2004.

Document Title:  Standard Practice for the Testing of Volatile Organic Emissions from Various Sources Using Small-Scale Environmental Chambers
Developer:  California Department of Public Health
Summary of Scope:  Original testing and evaluation standard for CA Specification Section 01350. Applicable to building products that can be tested in small-scale chambers. Furniture products not included. Acceptance criteria are referenced to CA OEHHA chronic RELs.

Document Title:  Standard Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products
Developer:  ASTM International
Summary of Scope:  Describes use of small chambers to characterize VOC emissions from indoor products. Guidelines for all aspects of emissions testing and data analysis are provided. Identifies essential aspects of emissions testing that must be controlled and documented.

Document Title:  Standard Test Method for Determining Formaldehyde Concentration in Air from Wood Products Using a Small Scale Chamber
Developer:  ASTM International
Summary of Scope:  Measures formaldehyde concentrations in air in small chambers from composite wood products under defined chamber loading, temperature, and humidity. Results are intended to be comparable to results for composite wood panels by ASTM E 1333. Describes use of chromotropic acid for collection and analysis of formaldehyde and also allows use of other methods such as ASTM D 5197.

Document Title:  Standard Practice for Testing and Sampling of Volatile Organic Compounds (Including Carbonyl Compounds) Emitted from Paint Using Small Environmental Chambers
Developer:  ASTM International
Summary of Scope:  Provides procedures for preparing test specimens of primers and paints applied to gypsum wallboard, wood, or engineered wood products. Tests are conducted in small chambers at controlled conditions. Describes procedures for sampling VOCs and aldehydes.

Document Title:  Indoor Air−Part 9: Determination of the Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds from Building Products and Furnishing−Emission Test Chamber Method
Developer:  International Organization for Standardization
Summary of Scope:   Specifies general test methods for determination of area-specific emission rates of VOCs from building products or furnishings in test chambers. Applies to small- to full-scale chambers. Specifies collection of VOCs on sorbent tubes and analysis by thermal desorption GC/MS or GC/FID. Emission data can be used to calculate concentrations in model room.

Document Title:  Indoor Air−Part 11: Determination of the Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds from Building Products and Furnishing−Sampling, Storage of Samples and Preparation of Test Specimens
Developer:  International Organization for Standardization
Summary of Scope:  Defines three types of building products: solid, liquid, and combined. For each, specifications are given for sampling procedures, transport conditions, storage, and substrate. For individual products, preparation of a test specimen is prescribed by type. Used with ISO 16000-9.

Document Title:  Standard Test Method For determining VOC Emissions From Office Furniture Systems, Components and Seating
Developer:  American National Standards Institute and the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Associations
Summary of Scope:  Describes methods for identifying and determining the emissions of VOCs from office furniture systems and office seating using large- and mid-scale environmental chambers. Covers all aspects of environmental chamber testing and chemical analysis through generation of test reports. VOC emission rates are modeled to typical office environments, either open-plan or private office, to estimate the impact of new office furniture on indoor air quality. Basic acceptance criteria are contained in ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2007.

Document Title:  Standard for Formaldehyde and TVOC Emissions of Low-Emitting Office Furniture Systems and Seating
Developer:  American National Standards Institute and the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Associations
Summary of Scope:  Defines acceptance criteria for VOC emissions from furniture used in offices to be classified as low-emitting products. Criteria are not health based. Intended to be used in conjunction with ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2007. Describes general procedure grouping similar products and selecting representative (worst-case) sample. Establishes testing interval and factors that determine the need for more frequent testing.

Document Title:  Standard Practice for Full-Scale Chamber Determination of Volatile Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products
Developer:  ASTM International
Summary of Scope:  Describes design, construction, performance evaluation, and use of full-scale chambers for VOC emission testing. Intended for tests of materials, products, and equipment (printers, photocopiers, air cleaners, etc.) under environmental and product usage conditions typical of offices and residences. Describes determination of VOC emission rates over time.

Document Title:  Indoor Air−Part 9: Determination of the Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds from Building Products and Furnishing−Emission Test Chamber Method
Developer:  International Organization for Standardization
Summary of Scope:  Specifies general test methods for determination of area-specific emission rates of VOCs from building products or furnishings in test chambers. Applies to small- to full-scale chambers. Specifies collection of VOCs on sorbent tubes and analysis by thermal desorption GC/MS or GC/FID. Emission data can be used to calculate concentrations in model room.

Document Title:  Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Ambient Air Using Active Sampling Onto Sorbent Tubes
Developer:  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Describes a sorbent tube/thermal desorption/gas chromatographic-based monitoring system for VOCs in ambient air at 0.5 to 25 ppb concentration levels. Updates Compendium Method TO-1 covering newer generation thermal desorption systems as well as new sorbents that can be used singly or in multi-sorbent packings. Includes guidelines for sorbent selection. Covers all aspects of sample collection and thermal desorption GC/MS analysis.

Document Title:  Method for the Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Ambient Air Using Tenax® Adsorption and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
Developer:  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Summary of Scope: Describes procedures for collection and determination of certain VOCs, which can be captured on Tenax sorbent and analyzed by thermal desorption GC/MS techniques. Sorbent and sampling cartridge preparation, and air sampling procedures are covered. A two-stage thermal desorption analytical procedure with GC/MS analysis is described.

Document Title:  Standard Test Method for Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted from Carpet using a Specific Sorbent Tube and Thermal Desorption / Gas Chromatography
Developer:  ASTM International
Summary of Scope:  Describes analytical method for identifying and quantifying masses of individual VOCs emitted into air from carpet specimens and collected on sorbent sampling tubes during emissions testing. Thermal desorption with GC/MS or flame ionization detection is used to measure most VOCs from n-hexane to n-hexadecane.

Document Title:  Indoor Air−Part 6: Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Indoor and Test Chamber Air by Active Sampling on Tenax TA sorbent, Thermal Desorption and Gas Chromatography Using MS/FID
Developer:  International Organization for Standardization
Summary of Scope: Specifies method for determination of VOCs in indoor air and in air sampled from test chambers and cells. Method is based on use of Tenax TA® sorbent with subsequent thermal desorption GC/MS or GC/FID analysis. Method is applicable to measurement of non-polar and slightly polar VOCs in concentration range of sub-mg/m³ to several mg/m³.

Document Title:  Standard Test Method for Determination of Formaldehyde and Other Carbonyl Compounds in Air (Active Sampler Methodology)
Developer:  ASTM International
Summary of Scope:  Method draws air through cartridge containing silica gel coated with acid solution of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) reagent. Carbonyl compounds form stable derivatives with DNPH reagent. DNPH derivatives are eluted with acetonitrile and analyzed for parent carbonyls by HPLC. Sampling method is described.

Document Title:  Indoor Air−Part 3: Determination of Formaldehyde and Other Carbonyl Compounds−Active Sampling Method
Developer:  International Organization for Standardization
Summary of Scope: Nearly identical to ASTM D 5197. Method draws air through cartridge containing silica gel coated with acid solution of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) reagent. Carbonyl compounds form stable derivatives with DNPH reagent. DNPH derivatives are eluted with acetonitrile and analyzed for parent carbonyls by HPLC. Sampling method is described.

Document Title:  Standard Operating Procedure for the Determination of Phthalates
Developer:  Consumer Product Safety Commission
Summary of Scope: Describes sample preparation procedures, a solvent extraction method for PVC polymers, and a GC/MS analytical technique to determine the concentrations of six phthalate esters or groups of phthalate esters in toy samples.

Document Title:  Semi volatile Organic Compounds by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)
Developer: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Summary of Scope:  Describes method used to determine concentrations of SVOCs in extracts prepared from many types of solid waste matrices, soils, air sampling media, and water. Prescribes appropriate preparation methods for listed SVOCs. Describes GC/MS analysis of extracts, calibrations, data analysis, and calculations.

Document Title:  Pressurized Fluid Extraction
Developer:  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Summary of Scope: Describes method for extracting water-insoluble or slightly water-soluble organic compounds from soils, clays, sediments, sludges, and solid wastes. The method uses elevated temperature and elevated pressure in a commercially available extraction system to achieve analyte recoveries equivalent to those of Soxhlet extraction.