GUT product test for odours
Odour testing is central to the approval and monitoring of textile floor coverings within the GUT testing system. Odours play an important role in everyday life and should not be underestimated as they can impact significantly on our well-being. Here we explore why odour testing is so important, what causes unpleasant odours and the resulting impact.
Important things to know about odours and odour testing
Why is an odour test for textile floor coverings still important today?
Odour testing for textile floorcoverings is an important addition to standard chemical analysis during laboratory tests. Despite testing methods being constantly optimised, the data obtained does not usually adequately reflect the whole situation. This is because, although the human sense of smell is less developed than that of other mammals, it is still sensitive enough to detect numerous odour-active substances present in concentrations below those limits which would be detected during analysis. This is particularly prevalent with odours relating to complex mixtures of substances. In principle, the following applies: an unpleasant odour does not necessarily mean increased VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) emissions and conversely, if the limit value for VOC’s is exceeded, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an unpleasant odour present.
What can cause unpleasant odours?
What to do if an unpleasant odour occurs?
How is an odour test for textile floor coverings carried out?
Odour test according to the desiccator method
