Effects of climatic test parameters on acetic acid emission from beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

Acetic acid (AA) emission from beech samples was studied in test chambers operated according to ISO 16000 part 9 and as a function of temperature and relative humidity (RH). The impact of RH was higher than that of temperature. AA emission was about 45% higher at 75% RH than under standard parameters (50% RH, 23 degrees C). Probably, RH influences AA emission both by enhanced hydrolysis of acetyl groups, as well as by facilitating the release of AA into the surrounding air by diffusion. The concentration of AA in test chamber air was determined with thermal desorption-gas chromatographymass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) as well as with ion chromatography (IC). Both techniques provided similar results. The values measured by IC ranged constantly 15% below those obtained with TD-GC-MS. This can be ascribed to losses during sampling of test chamber air.