EMISSION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC) FROM WATERBORNE LACQUERS WITH DIFFERENT CONTENT OF SOLIDS

This paper presents the results of investigations on the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from oak wood surfaces finished with acrylic waterborne lacquers. The lacquers selected for the experiments were characterised by a different content of solids, fluctuating between 32 and 38%. The volatile organic compounds were analysed using a gas chromatography technique combined with mass spectrometry and thermal desorption (GC/MS/TD). Tenax TA was employed as an adsorption medium. The obtained results indicate that volatile organic compound emissions from the experimental waterborne lacquers varied widely from 388 to 1794 mu g/m(3). The most important constituents of emissions included compounds that belonged mainly to glycol ethers as well as aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.