TD-GC-MS Assessment of VOC and Odor Changes in Particleboard After Decorative Treatments

Researchers at the National Center for Quality Supervision and Testing of Wood and Bamboo Products (Beijing, China) examined how decoration treatments—using resin-impregnated paper (RIP), polypropylene (PP) film, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film—affect the total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), the chemical composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the odor characteristics of particleboard. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed using thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS), and the contribution of odor substances was assessed via odor activity value (OAV). The study was published in Polymers (1).

With around 80% of a person’s life spent indoors, concern for the safety and quality of indoor environments has grown steadily (2). The achieving of a green living environment has become pivotal for advancing sustainable development goals, dictating the availability of novel building materials with low odor and minimal VOC emissions (3). A widely used indoor decoration material, particleboard is valued for its lightweight, moderate strength as well as its availability in various size specifications, a trait that has been unprecedentedly applied in customized furniture (4). With the increasing utilization of particleboard, however, issues have arisen that have raised concerns among consumers, such as high concentrations of volatile organic compounds emitted from indoor building materials and associated odor problems; these issues impact human health, potentially inducing Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms such as headaches, drowsiness, nausea and runny nose (5).

In addition, engineered wood products are often surface decorated; for particleboard, this primarily involves overlaying decorative materials. Common decorative materials for wood-based panels include RIP, PVC film, and PP film (6,7). While decorated particleboard offers advantages such as cost-effectiveness, uniform structure, wear-resistant surface, high-temperature tolerance and corrosion resistance, and is widely used in indoor decoration and production of panel furniture, there have been studies exploring pollutant emissions from decorative materials and decorated boards (8–10). While most of the current research focuses on VOC composition changes before and after surface decorating, studies on the impact of VOC release primarily focus on either single materials or singular metrics (such as TVOC emission levels). After decorating treatments, certain VOCs or odorants may be masked, in addition to the decorating materials themselves introducing new VOCs or odorants (11). Moreover, existing research shows insufficient attention to odor issues, thus providing inspiration for the National Center for Quality Supervision and Testing of Wood and Bamboo Products study.

The results of the study indicated that the permeability from high to low was PVC film, PP film and RIP. Compared with undecorated particleboard, the TVOC emissions of PVC-decorated boards decreased by 93%, PP-decorated particleboard by 83% but the TVOC emissions of RIP-decorated particleboard increased by 67%. PP decoration treatment masked or suppressed the release of 20 odor substances, but introduced xylene, which can increase potentially the health risks for PP-decorated particleboard. PVC decoration treatment masked or suppressed 19 odor substances, but it introduced 12 new compounds, resulting in an overall increase in TVOC emissions. RIP treatment did not introduce new odor substances. After PP film and RIP treatments, both the variety of VOCs released and the number of key odor-contributing compounds and modifying odorants decreased. In contrast, the number of modifying odorants and potential odorants increased after PVC treatment. VOC emissions were effectively masked or suppressed by three decoration treatments, same as the release of substances contributing to overall odor of particleboard was reduced. Among them, PP and RIP decorative materials demonstrate better effects (1).

The researchers determined that PP and RIP exhibit significantly lower air permeability than PVC, providing superior blocking effects that effectively reduce TVOC emissions from particleboards, while also diminishing key odorants and odor-modifying compounds. In addition, surface decorating not only blocks or suppresses VOC emissions from particleboards, but at the same time introduces new VOCs from the decorating materials themselves, potentially increasing the panels’ usage risks. Furthermore, PVC-decorated particleboards were found to demonstrate higher risk values, primarily because of the introduction of phenol as a new pollutant. While the emitted contaminants from these panels include substances of low-to-moderate toxicity, their risk values remain well below 1 and therefore pose no significant health risks to humans (1).

In subsequent research, the team recommended that finishing materials and wood-based panels from different countries or regions should be selected for testing to enhance the regional applicability of the conclusions. It is crucial to continue supplementing data on the odor thresholds and LCI values of VOCs, with the goal of establishing a comprehensive database (1).

References

1. Zhu, L.; Yang, M.; Tang, L. et al. Analysis of Chemical Composition and Odor Characteristics in Particleboards Decorated by Resin-Impregnated Paper, Polypropylene Film and Polyvinyl Chloride Film. Polymers (Basel) 2025, 17 (15), 2145. DOI: 10.3390/polym17152145
2. Klepeis, N.E.; Nelson, W.C.; Ott, W.R.; et al. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): A Resource for Assessing Exposure to Environmental Pollutants. J. Expo. Sci. Environ. Epidemiol. 2001, 11, 231–252. DOI: 10.1038/sj.jea.7500165
3. Olabi, A.G.; Shehata, N.; Issa, U.H. The Role of Green Buildings in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Int. J. Thermofluids 2025, 25, 101002. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijft.2024.101002
4. Wu, Y.M.; Lv, B. Analysis on Present Development Status and Future Prospect of Wood-based Panels in China. China Wood-Based Panels 2020, 27, 7–11.
5. Silva, G.V.; Martins, A.O.; Martins, S.D.S. Indoor Air Quality: Assessment of Dangerous Substances in Incense Products. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 8086. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158086
6. Lv, B.; Zhang, Y.P. Status and Development Trend of China’s Decorative Wood-based Panel Industry. China Wood-Based Panels 2017, 24, 1–3.
7. Liu, H.; Zhang, J.Z.; Zhou, X.D. et al. Effects of Finishing Materials on Formaldehyde Emission and Physicochemical Properties of Decorated Particleboard. China Wood-Based Panels 2020, 27, 13–17.
8. Li, Z.J.; Shen, J.; Jiang, L.Q. et al. Odor Emission Analysis of Melamine Decorated MDF. J. Beijing For. Univ. 2018, 40, 117–123.
9. Wang, Q.F.; Shen, J.; Zeng, B. et al. VOCs and Odor Emission from Lacquer Veneer Particleboards. Sci. Silvae Sin. 2020, 56, 130–142. DOI: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20200515]
10. Wang, Q.F.; Shen, J.; Jiang, L.Q. et al. Comprehensive Evaluation on Impact of Melamine Veneer Particleboard on Indoor Environment. J. Cent. South Univ. For. Technol. 2019, 39, 8.
11. Jiang, L.Q.; Shen, J.; Dong, H.J. et al. Effects of Surface Finishes on VOCs Emission from Particleboards. J. Beijing For. Univ. 2018, 40, 110–116. DOI: 10.13332/j.1000-1522.20180031