Emissions of odorous aldehydes from alkyd paint

Aldehyde emissions are widely held responsible for the acrid after-odor of drying alkyd-based paint films. The aldehyde emissions from three different alkyd paints were measured in small environ-mental chambers. It was found that, for each gram of alkyd paint applied, more than 2 mg of aldehydes (mainly hexanal) were emitted during the curing (drying) period. Since no measurable hexanal was found in the original paint, it is suspected that the aldehydes emitted were produced by autoxidation of the unsaturated fatty acid esters in the alkyd resins. The hexanal emission rate was simulated by a model assuming that the autoxidation process was controlled by a consecutive first-order reaction mechanism. Using the emission rate model, indoor air quality simulation indicated that the hexanal emissions can result in prolonged (several days) exposure risk to occupants. The occupant exposure to aldehydes emitted from alkyd paint also could cause sensory irritation and other health concerns.