Sorption and reemission of formaldehyde by gypsum wallboard. Report for June 1990-August 1992
The paper gives results of an analysis of the sorption and desorption of formaldehyde by unpainted wallboard, using a mass transfer model based on the Langmuir sorption isotherm. The sorption and desorption rate constants are determined by short-term experimental data. Long-term sorption and desorption curves are developed by the mass transfer model without any adjustable parameters. Compared with other empirically developed models, the mass transfer model has more extensive applicability and provides an elucidation of the sorption and desorption mechanism that empirical models cannot. The mass transfer model is also more feasible and accurate than empirical models for applications such as scale-up and exposure assessment. For a typical indoor environment, the model predicts that gypsum wallboard is a much stronger sink for formaldehyde than for other indoor air pollutants such as tetrachloroethylene and ethylbenzene. The strong sink effects are reflected by the high equilibrium capacity and slow decay of the desorption curve.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Air and Energy Engineering Research Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 6404092
- Report Number(s):
- PB-93-180917/XAB; EPA-600/A-93/078
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: See also PB--88-251657 and DE86012632
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FORMALDEHYDE
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
BUILDING MATERIALS
BUILDINGS
CAPACITY
CONSTRUCTION
DECOMPOSITION
DESORPTION
ENVIRONMENT
EQUILIBRIUM
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GYPSUM
LANGMUIR FREQUENCY
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
POLLUTANTS
SORPTION
THERMAL INSULATION
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
INFORMATION
MINERALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SULFATE MINERALS
320107* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Building Systems- (1987-)
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)