The ASTM D6165-97 standard, “Standard guidance for the comparison, detection, and identification of odors in paints, inks, and related materials,” published by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), aims to provide guidance to manufacturers and users of paints, inks, and related coatings, and others who may be exposed to them, to help them detect, compare, and identify odors that may originate from these materials.
This standard is intended to provide references for creating guidelines to assist in identifying and verifying the sources of odors and other related problems.
This standard is intended to help establish guidelines for:
This guide is intended to direct the user to relevant existing standards and literature so that the user can become informed about the procedures required to effectively compare, detect and identify the odors of paints, inks and related materials.
The odor detection threshold is the lowest concentration at which humans can smell. The odor recognition threshold is the concentration at which an odor can be identified. At a given concentration, one person can smell and recognize the odor, while another has difficulty detecting it. Individuals may also respond differently to the same odor. Since methods for defining and determining odor thresholds vary widely, the reported odor thresholds of many substances vary widely.
Many paints, inks and related materials contain solvents, thinners and residual monomers that can be hazardous or toxic. Consult the supplier's material safety data sheets for hazard information and guidance. Special precautions should also be taken when determining the odour of these products. Testing should be performed only as frequently as necessary for control and assessments should be made to ensure the lowest possible exposure.
Adequate ventilation must be provided to maintain solvent or diluent concentrations below the personnel exposure limit values established for the general work area.
Other hazards may also be present. These may include, but are not limited to, flammable, combustible, corrosive or explosive (monomers) hazards.
An important aspect of accomplishing the task undertaken by the user of this guide is how to work with untrained individuals such as paint users, facility workers and community residents. The following sources are suggested as initial references for review:
The standard "ASTM D1296-01 01 Standard Test Method for Odor of Volatile Solvents and Diluents" contains a comparative procedure for determining odor acceptability by observing the characteristic and residual odors of volatile organic solvents and diluents. However, the test method described in this standard may also be suitable for other materials if modified.
The standard “ASTM E679-19 Standard Practice for Determining Odor and Taste Thresholds by the Forced Choice Increasing Concentration Series Limit Method” is an example of a standard practice for determining the odor acceptability of several specific compounds.
The standard “ASTM D4339-01 Standard test method for determining odor of adhesives” is used to determine the odor of a formulated product (adhesives).
The standard “ASTM D1292-15 Standard test method for odor in water” provides a recommended system for classifying odors (Appendix A1).
The first step in determining the odor perception threshold is to determine at what concentration the odor of a product can be perceived in the atmosphere or at what concentration a particular odor can be detected above the basic odor of the product. Since the perception threshold can vary by individual, a sufficiently large number of observers is required.
The ASTM E679-19 standard is used to determine the threshold, while the ASTM E544-18 standard is used to calibrate the threshold against 1-butanol to define the concentration reference.
By defining the odor threshold, the researcher can verify that there is a difference in odor when comparing one product to another product used as a control. The presence of a different odor can result in a significantly lower perception threshold. ASTM E1432-19 is used to define and calculate individual and group sensory thresholds.
Gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry techniques, defined in ASTM D3686-20 and ASTM D3687-01, are used to separate and identify the volatile fractions of the product.
A sample can also be captured by capturing the odor using carbon adsorption of a gas stream over the vapor space of a container of the product.
Although these methods can separate and identify volatile components, they do not determine which compounds contribute to the odor. Each separated component must be evaluated by a trained sensory panel using odor profiling methods to determine which fraction or fractions contribute to the odor.
Among the numerous testing, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies that our organization has provided for businesses in various sectors, our organization also provides testing services defined in the standard “ASTM D6165-97 Standard guide for comparison, detection and identification of odors of paints, inks and related materials” with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.
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