Laboratory and real scale comparative study of Benzyl alcohol emissions from a two-component epoxy paint

The benzyl alcohol emissions from a two-component epoxy paint were studied in a 30 litres laboratory test chamber and in a 30 cubic meters real scale test system. The real scale measures were done in a test system realized with concrete and finished with gypsum. The laboratory scale experiments were done in a glass chamber with minimized sink an in another chamber simulating the walls and ceiling sink with gypsum surfaces. The laboratory scale experiment without sink demonstrates a high emission rate during the first hours, and a quick abatement of the emission after the polymerization. The simulated sink laboratory experiments demonstrate lower concentrations during the first hours and higher concentrations after the sample polymerization, due to the secondary emissions from gypsum surfaces. In the real scale experiments however the release effects from walls was were not observed, possibly due to a permeation through the walls under the gypsum layer.