Accelerated Aging Effect on Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Thermally Treated Spruce Wood

Area of Science:

• Wood Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Indoor Air Quality

Background:

• Thermal modification enhances wood durability but alters volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
• Understanding VOC profiles is crucial for assessing indoor air quality impacts of treated wood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of accelerated aging on VOC emissions from thermally modified Norway spruce wood.
• To quantify changes in VOC profiles with varying modification temperatures and aging.

Main Methods:

• Norway spruce samples were thermally modified at 160, 180, and 210 °C.
• Samples underwent accelerated aging (600 h) in a xenon test chamber.
• VOC emissions were analyzed using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS).

Main Results:

• Thermal modification significantly reduced total VOC (TVOC) emissions, with a 376-fold decrease at 210 °C.
• Higher modification temperatures decreased VOC amount, variability, and shifted composition from terpenes to carbonyls (e.g., furfural).
• Accelerated aging reduced TVOC by 42% for the 160 °C sample and altered specific compound profiles.

Conclusions:

• Thermal modification substantially reduces and stabilizes VOC emissions from Norway spruce.
• Accelerated aging further modifies VOC profiles, generally improving emission stability.
• These findings are critical for assessing the indoor air quality implications of thermally modified wood products.