Automotive VOC Testing

Overview

Presentation by Joe Franklin, Analytical Testing

Manager
Intertek Automotive Research, San Antonio, Texas
October 24, 2013

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 Content

History of VOC testing

Common Sources of VOCs in vehicle Interiors
VOC Test Types Overview
Review of Many Current Automotive VOC Test Methods
European
Japanese
US
Analysis requirements
Collection & Analysis techniques
Possibilities for the future
Basic comparison of techniques

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History of Concern with VOC Emissions
Home interiors testing Sick Building Syndrome
School computer labs
Office buildings
Vehicles
Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association adopts voluntary
Japanese Health Ministry guidelines for air quality in homes
US and European Auto manufacturers begin to work toward lower
interior VOCs

China and Korea signal intent to regulate vehicle VOCs

Future needs, Government Regulation to come?

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 Interior Components Sources of Emission

Plastics, Foams, Carpet, Cloth, Rubber, Leather

Sealants, Glue
Circuit boards
Wire harnesses
Stickers, Labels, Tape

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Other Sources of VOC Emission

Cleaners
Strippers
Solvents
Lubricants
Flame Retardant
Waxes
Protectant
HVAC system intakes

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 VOC Test Type Overview
Headspace
Material test material is placed in a small vial, heated and read directly by
GC or GCMS.
Thermal desorption
Material test material is packed in desorption tube, heated and analyzed.
VOC, SVOC/Fog
Chamber
Test sample is housed in a temperature controlled chamber where clean air is
passed through the chamber and the exhaust is sampled.
Bag
Test sample is sealed in a bag, baked for some period of time, and then the
bag atmosphere is sampled.
Vehicle
Entire vehicle is placed in a chamber. Sniffer probes are placed in various
places inside the vehicle. High intensity lights are used to heat the interior of
the vehicle. The sniffer probes are sampled after some amount of soak time.
Content testing
Chemical breakdown of the material (usually liquid or aerosol) is done and
compounds of interest are quantified. More typical for consumer products or
paints and coatings.

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Headspace Methods

Test material placed within vile.

Vile is heated and a sample of the atmosphere within the vile is sent
directly to the GC/MS.

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Thermal Desorption - Direct

Test material placed within tube.

Heated gas is passed through the tube and sent to the GC/MS.
90C VOC, 120C SVOC

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Chamber/Bag Method

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Full Vehicle Method Example

Chamber Lamps On AC On
Chamber Temp (C)

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Sample Cabin Sample Cabin

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Sample BG
Sample BG

Pre condition Closed Mode Drive Mode

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Emission Sampling Variables

Temperature
Anywhere from 20C to 120C
Sample flow rate
0.1 L/min to 1 L/min
Sample duration
10 minutes to a few hours
Purge media
Nitrogen, humidified clean air, shop air
Background sample
Background to be subtracted from the final results.

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 European Methods

German VDA Standards and Procedures

Referenced or used by VW, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo
Headspace, Thermal Desorption, Odor, Chamber
BMW
Chamber and SHED Methods
VW
Headspace, Odor, Chamber
Mercedes
Chamber, Thermal Desorption
Volvo
Headspace, Chamber
TV Rhineland Group Standards and procedures
Full Vehicle interior

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 Japanese/Korean Auto OEM Methods

Nissan
Bag Method
Toyota
Bag Method
Honda
Bag Method, No Background
Mazda
Chamber Method
Isuzu
Bag Method
Hyundai/Kia
Bag Method
Mitsubishi
Bag Method

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US Auto OEM Methods

GM
Headspace (Old specification)
Direct Thermal Desorption
Bottle analysis for Aldehydes and Ketones with HPLC
Full Vehicle VOC and SVOC

Ford
Fog, References SAE
Odor, References SAE
Headspace VOC
Bottle analysis for Aldehydes and Ketones with HPLC

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 Collection/Conditioning Chambers

Range from canisters and chambers to large tedlar bags for parts

To full vehicle chambers

designed to control temperature and air flow

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 Sampling/Collection Systems

TENAX TD Tubes collect Aliphatic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons

DNPH Cartridges collect Aldehydes and Ketones

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 Analysis Equipment

GC/MS Gas Chromatograph with fully integrated Mass

Spectrometer detection system, headspace and Thermal
desorption sample station.

HPLC High performance liquid chromatograph with UV

detection system.
Additional equipment utilized in evaluating VOC
GC-TCD
FOG Bath
IC
Dedicated Ovens/Balances
TGA
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 Analysis Types

GC/MS calibrated with compounds of interest.

Any compound of interest is calibrated with that compound.
Peaks of those compounds are identified, integrated and
quantified.
Total VOC
For peaks other than compounds of interest, the toluene
response factor is used to quantify TVOC.
Normally between Hexane C6 and Hexadecane C16.
HPLC calibrated with compounds of interest.
Aldehydes & Ketones.

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GC/MS Sample Run Example

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 Testing Issues

Age of test part

VOCs decay exponentially, some procedures call out part age.
Sealing, UV protection
Seal test parts to prevent cross contamination.
UV can release VOCs or create different compounds.
No tape, paint, stickers
Almost anything placed on test part to identify the part will
contribute to total VOC.
Shipping methods

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 Trends in US Automotive

Japanese, European and US OEMs are putting stronger

requirements on their suppliers to report VOC/SVOC emission.

More and more details are being required for Substances of

Concern (SoC)

Each OEM has now well established the methods used for
evaluation of materials for VOC/SVOC emission.

New requirements for SoC is an area that needs more clarification

and detail for many OEM requirements.

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 Basic Comparison Information

Chamber- Flow through Bag Static

purged
Simulates cabin air with A/C on, Short test duration, introduces
stopped for brief period of soak potential for bag contribution

Dilutes sample and reduces detection Concentrates emissions for good

limit detection limit

Small sample size limit based on Bags are scaleable to part/material

chamber size size

Many complicated chamber evaluation Bags can be difficult to open and close
techniques and reseal.

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 Comparison information continued

Direct Material Analysis Assembly analysis

Maximum Surface area exposed for Closer to real surface area exposure.
emission.

Can be scaled down to minimum Captures VOCs generated/removed

quantity for testing, reducing cost of by manufacture of the assembly
testing. (adhesives/ heated application).

Can be difficult to scale up for Less difficult to scale up for predicting

predicting total vehicle. total vehicle.

Simple to ship and work with in the Assemblies can be large and difficult
lab. to ship and work with in the lab.

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 Thank You!
Any Questions?

Joe Franklin
Intertek Automotive Research
Joe.franklin@intertek.com
210-523-4671

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