Interior air of road vehicles — Part 1: Whole vehicle test chamber — Specification and method for the determination of volatile organic compounds in cabin interiors

This document specifies the whole vehicle test chamber, the vapour sampling assembly and the operating conditions for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbonyl compounds in vehicle cabin air. There are three measurements performed: one (for VOCs and carbonyl compounds) during the simulation of ambient conditions (ambient mode) at standard conditions of 23 °C - 25 °C with no air exchange; a second only for the measurement of formaldehyde at elevated temperatures (parking mode); and a third for VOCs and carbonyl compounds simulating driving after the vehicle has been parked in the sun starting at elevated temperatures (driving mode). For the simulation of the mean sun irradiation, a fixed irradiation in the whole vehicle test chamber is employed.

The VOC method is valid for measurement of non-polar and slightly polar VOCs in a concentration range of sub-micrograms per cubic metre up to several milligrams per cubic metre. Using the principles specified in this method, some semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) can also be analysed. Compatible compounds are those which can be trapped and released from the Tenax TA [1] sorbent tubes described in ISO 16000 6,