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CHARACTERIZATION OF LOW-VOC LATEX PAINTS: VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND CONTENT, VOC AND ALDEHYDE EMISSIONS, AND PAINT PERFORMANCE
Citation:
Fortmann, R., H. C. Lao, A. Ng, AND N. Roache. CHARACTERIZATION OF LOW-VOC LATEX PAINTS: VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND CONTENT, VOC AND ALDEHYDE EMISSIONS, AND PAINT PERFORMANCE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-99/035 (NTIS PB99-146920), 1999.
Description:
The report gives results of laboratory tests to evaluate commercially available latex paints advertised as "low-odor," "low-VOC (volatile organic compound)," or "no-VOC." Measurements were performed to quantify the total content of VOCs in the paints and to identify the predominant VOCs and aldehydes in the emissions following application to test substrates. The performance of the paints was evaluated and compared to that of commonly used conventional latex paints by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard methods that measured parameters such as scrubbability, cleanability, and hiding power. The report describes the paints that were tested, the test methods, and the experimental data. Results are presented that can be used to evaluate the low-odor/low-VOC paints as alternatives to conventional latex wall paints that contain and emit higher concentrations of VOCs.