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Last Update: 01/31/00

Using Direct Thermal Desorption to Assess the Potential Pool of Styrene and 4-Phenylcyclohexene In Latex-Backed Carpets

National Center for Toxioogical Research, FDA, Jefferson, AR 72079

IINTRODUCTION

Indoor air pollution, including the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) from carpets, has been associated with Sick building syndrome and Building-related illness. The styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) latex glue used in the manufacturing of carpets gives rise to styrene and 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PC), two VOC's associated with these phenomena. Styrene is a residue from the polymerization reaction, and 4-PC results from a thermally controlled (and thermally allowed) [4+2] cycloaddition reaction between styrene and butadiene during the polymerization reaction (3). Several researchers have identified 4-PC in synthetic carpets using headspace analysis (4) and gas phase stripping (5).

Short path direct thermal desorption (DTD) is a technique used to desorb VOC's directly from solid samples.(6) The advantages of short path DTD are (a) no sample preparation is required, (b) Memory effects and analyte degradation are minimized due to short transfer lines, and (c) increased sample delivery leads to modest sample sizes and improved sensitivity. VOC's in plastic wrap, a high molecular weight polymer, have been identified via DTD (7). The classes of compounds found included aliphatic and olefinic hydrocarbons, alcohols, aromatics and phthalates. Using DTD, we describe the semi-quantification of styrene and 4-PC in another polymer, SBR latex-backed carpets.

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