Material Analysis and Indoor Chemistry

Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research

© Fraunhofer WKI

For many years environmental protection has an important significance in the public discussion caused by the criteria concerning water, soil and air quality as well as the environmental compatibility of consumer-oriented products becoming constantly more severe. This development affects the fields of activity of an application-oriented research facility. Numerous tasks spread open for a scientist, which are reflected in the research spectrum of this department.

Focal Fields

Focal fields are set up by the emission of organic substances from modern preservation systems as well as of micro and nano particles. In this respect we are offering an extensive spectrum of special investigation methods. An important field of activity is the development of new analysis and sampling techniques as well as the construction of emission test chambers and emission cells. Analytics is carried out not only as a subtask within the framework of own research projects but also as a service for third parties. For these activities we dispose of the required equipment comprising modern and high-duty appliances.

Beyond the classical field of wooden products we are also investigating insulating materials, wall-coverings, paper products, textiles, plastics as well as building products made of mineral and synthetic materials. There are strongly growing contacts to the motor industry, the electrical industry, the airplane industry and the food industry. Actual focal fields of research pertain to the sensory evaluation of products for indoor application and the analysis of not easily volatilized organic compounds for which sampling is carried out using the fogging method, as well as measurements on laser printers. Moreover, we are dealing with general questions of indoor air hygiene and room climate. Referring to the results of the indoor air and house dust measurements the indoor air situation is evaluated on the basis of avail- able standard and reference values. The focus in this field is supplemented by investigations regarding the indoor air situation in cultural facilities.

World-wide Co-operations

The department "Material Analysis and Indoor Chemistry" cooperates with different research facilities here and abroad within the framework of cooperation agreements and scientist exchange programs. There exist particularly close contacts to the University of Applied Sciences Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel, to the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, and to the Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan.

Services

Indoor Air Quality Measurements

  • Determination of formaldehyde, flame retardants phthalic acid esters, diisocyanates, pesticides, PAH, VOC, ozone, carbon dioxide and
  • TVOC in the indoor environment
  • Fogging tests
  • Sensory testing

Chamber Emission Tests

  • Emission tests under controlled climatic conditions, i. e. of building products, furniture, electric equipment and lacquer goods

Material Analyses

  • Determination of volatile organic compounds by dynamic headspace
  • GC/MS test
  • Determination of volatile organic compounds by static headspace
  • GC/FID test
  • Determination of metals after total digestion/ extraction
  • Dust analysis

Standard Test Procedures

  • Determination of total carbon according to VDA 277
  • Migration of elements according to EN 71, Part 3
  • Testing of furniture according to RAL-RG-430 and RAL-UZ-38
  • Testing of wood based material according to RAL- UZ-76
  • Testing of wall-coverings (RAL-GZ-479 and RAL- UZ-35 a, b)
  • EN 13419 part 1-3 / ISO 16000-6 / AgBB scheme

Ash Analyses

  • Heavy metal content and elution

Biozid Analytics

  • Active ingredients in materials
  • Supervision of wood preservatives homologated by the Superior
  • Building Inspection
  • Supervision of RAL quality-protected wood preservatives
  • Investigation of degradation processes

Special Equipment

  • GC/MS with thermal desorption unit
  • GC/FID with thermal desorption unit
  • GC/AED with Cold-Injection-Systems
  • Headspace-GC/FID
  • GC/ECD with Cold-Injection-Systems
  • HPLC with Fluorescence/UV-Detection
  • HPLC/MS-MS
  • Photoacoustic gas analysers for TVOC determination
  • Ion chromatograph
  • Microwave Digestion unit
  • ICP/AES-Spectrometer
  • FT-IR-Spectrometer
  • UV/VIS-Spectrometer
  • NDIR-Analysers for the determination of CO2 and N2O
  • 1 m3-Glass emission test chambers
  • 1 m3-Stainless steel emission test chamber
  • 250 l-Stainless steel chambers
  • 23 l-Glass emission test chambers
  • 23 l-Stainless steel emission test chambers
  • Emission test cells
  • Devices for dust sampling
  • Condensation particle counter
  • Olfactometer
  • Ozone analyser
  • Luminescent bacteria test

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