Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds from Heartwood and Sapwood of Selected Coniferous Species

Abstract

The qualitative and quantitative composition of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from furnishings from solid wood and all kinds of wood derivative materials depends on many factors, of which the most important is the wood species. The intraspecies and interspecies differences in VOC emission result from the differences in the chemical composition and anatomical structure of heartwood and sapwood of different species. VOC composition analysis was performed separately for heartwood and sapwood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) trees. The studies were conducted in a glass climatic chamber of 0.025 m3, equipped with a system for the monitoring and control of climatic conditions. Samples of air for analyses were collected after 3, 7, 14 and 28 days of exposure. The results provided evidence for interspecies and intraspecies differences in the qualitative and quantitative compositions of VOC. The concentration of total VOC (TVOC) released from heartwood of Scots pine was higher than that released from sapwood. For European larch and Norway spruce, the opposite relations were observed. The VOC emission from Scots pine heartwood was about 17 times higher than the emission from European larch and Norway spruce heartwood. The differences in TVOC emitted from the sapwood of samples from different species were smaller. For each of the species, the highest percentage contribution to TVOC was made by terpenes. The second highest percentage contribution in TVOC was made by compounds containing a carbonyl group, mainly aldehydes, while aromatic compounds made the third highest contribution.