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Human sensory response to acetone/air mixtures
Author(s) -
Salthammer T.,
Schulz N.,
Stolte R.,
Uhde E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
indoor air
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.387
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1600-0668
pISSN - 0905-6947
DOI - 10.1111/ina.12262
Subject(s) - odor , acetone , diffuser (optics) , calibration , airflow , environmental science , sample (material) , air quality index , indoor air quality , chemistry , environmental engineering , meteorology , chromatography , statistics , engineering , mathematics , mechanical engineering , physics , light source , organic chemistry , optics
Abstract The release of organic compounds from building products may influence the perceived air quality in the indoor environment. Consequently, building products are assessed for chemical emissions and for the acceptability of emitted odors. A procedure for odor evaluations in test chambers is described by the standard ISO 16000‐28. A panel of eight or more trained subjects directly determines the perceived intensity Π (unit pi) of an air sample via diffusers. For the training of the panelists, a comparative Π‐scale is applied. The panelists can use acetone/air mixtures in a concentration range between 20 mg/m 3 (0 pi) and 320 mg/m 3 (15 pi) as reference. However, the training and calibration procedure itself can substantially contribute to the method uncertainty. This concerns the assumed odor threshold of acetone, the variability of panelist responses, and the analytical determination of acetone concentrations in air with online methods as well as the influence of the diffuser geometry and the airflow profile.