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This study sought to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and examine the characteristics of odor-active substances from polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-overlaid medium density fiberboard (MDF). A microchamber thermal extractor was used for sampling, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify VOCs, and gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry was used to analyze odor-active substances from PVC-overlaid MDF over 28 days. The results showed that 38 VOCs were identified from PVC-overlaid MDF, while only 23 odor-active substances were detected by gas chromatography-olfactometry, which indicated that some VOCs did not generate odor. The main VOCs released by PVC-overlaid MDF were aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, and esters. There was a strong correlation between concentration and odor intensity of the main VOCs. When the total amount of odor-active substances was not significantly different, the overall odor intensity was determined by the intensity of the key odorants. The greater the intensity of the key odorants, the greater the overall odor intensity. There were eight main classes of odors from PVC-overlaid MDF: aromatic, fresh scent, fruity, sour, sweet, grassy, pungent, and special scent. Among them, the main odor characteristics were aromatic, sour, and fresh scent, which were primarily generated by toluene, ethylbenzene, phenanthrene, and dibutyl phthalate.

Home renovation can improve our living environment, but it can cause pollution and endanger human health. Wood-based panels are a main source of polluting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This article studied the VOC concentration of different types of decorative particleboards (PBs) and different panel area–volume ratio, and the effect of panel area–volume ratio on release of various substances. In this study, the main experimental conditions are as follows: the temperature was controlled at 230.5°C; the humidity was controlled at 50%3%; and the rate of ventilation was controlled at once 1 h. And a 15-L small–environmental chamber was used to test the VOC emission. The experimental material was PB with different decorative materials (water-based paint, melamine-impregnated paper, polyvinyl chloride, and PB with no decorative material), and VOC emission was collected under different panel area–volume ratios (1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5m2/m3). The result showed that the VOCs were present, with the trend of decreasing with time. The decline velocity of water-based paint (WP) was the fastest, whereas that of the PB with no decorative material was the slowest. Increase of panel area–volume ratio could cause the VOC concentration to increase, but the panel area–volume ratio does not have a linear relationship with VOC concentration. Surface decoration can reduce the release of various kinds of material inside the plate to a certain extent. Melamine impregnated paper (MI) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can reduce the release of aromatic hydrocarbons in panels, and PVC can inhibit the release of esters in panels.

Unfinished, polyvinyl chloride-faced (PVC-faced), and melamine-finished particleboards were examined to determine the effects of VOCs released from these particleboards on indoor air quality. A climate chamber and GC/MS was used to analyze the changes in the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from these particleboards over a single cycle of 28 days. The main pollutants from the unfinished particleboard were esters, aromatic hydrocarbons, and aldehydes ketones; the pollutants released from the PVC-faced and melamine-finished particleboards were esters, and aldehydes and ketones. The VOCs from the PVC-faced particleboard had the lowest impact on indoor air quality. When the released VOCs from PVC-faced particleboard reached their stable floor-level values, the air quality was grade I, which is suitable for living. When unfinished and melamine-finished particleboards were used individually indoors, the air quality was grade IV and V. After the released VOCs reached their stable floor-level values, the indoor air quality was grade I or II, which met the standards for living conditions. Under the premise of ensuring that the indoor air was not polluted, the maximum loading rates of the unfinished, PVC-faced, and melamine-finished particleboards were 2.0 m2/m3, 3.8 m2/m3, and 3.8 m2/m3, respectively.