Issue 28, September 2009

You are probably familiar with the “new” car smell or the “new or renovated” building odour. This situation arises due to the release of chemicals (emissions) from various materials. Over time the emissions will decline, but never reduce to zero. While the odour may only be a nuisance to most occupants, you should consider the toxicological effects that may also arise, especially for sensitised individuals.

Less commonly considered are the effects of chemical emissions from everyday products, despite the increased likelihood of contact.

At CETEC we have encountered situations such as:

• Forklift drivers becoming “light-headed” during the unloading of a shipping container containing imported footwear. The footwear, manufactured using various glues and varnishes, emitted volatile chemicals over time and this accumulated in the container during transit;

• Workers suffering headaches during the unpacking of boxed items and in the subsequent assembly of the item. This was caused by the volatile organic compounds released by the printing inks. Fumes can often build up in item packaging; and

• A complaint of soft tissue irritation arising from exposure to a textile-based object. The object was stored for a period of time, in the immediate vicinity of cleaning activities. This eventually led to the textile component of the object absorbing the cleaning chemicals. These absorbed chemicals were re-released when the object was used and resulted in the irritation.

While characterising pollutants in the indoor air is important, just as critical, is the assessment of the potential sources of the pollution. CETEC uses a number of approaches to determine the chemical contaminants in indoor air, whether they be formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds or other chemicals.

Environmental chambers offer a standard way in which to evaluate the chemicals emitted from a material or product under controlled conditions. The identification of the chemicals through methods such as Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) can allow the assignment of potential material source to an indoor air environmental health effect.

Remediation of the effects of chemical emissions from your materials and products can involve either a source removal approach and/or ventilation strategy.

So the next time you wonder ‘what’s that smell?’ consider the potential toxicological effects of the source and remember CETEC can provide you with services to better understand the source of your odour and its control.

For other CETEC articles about odour:
Odour Assessment for Indoor Environments
Indoor Pollutants

	Materials and Healthy Environment Seminar
	Health Impacts of Modern Materials
	Winners at the Monash World Environment Day Awards and Monash Business Awards