Drying of linseed oil paints: the effects of substrate on the emission of aldehydes

The effect of substrate on the emission of aldehydes from linseed oil paint was investigated. Plates of glass, fiberboard, gypsum board, lime mortar and wood lath were painted, and then placed into emission chambers. Samples were collected every eighth hour over 10 days with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazin samplers. Analysis was performed with liquid chromatography/UV-detection and mass spectrometry. Paint applied on gypsum board gave the highest total amount of emitted carbonyls, and that on wood lath gave the least. Painted glass had the highest contribution of unsaturated species, and lime mortar, the lowest. Lime mortar also had the highest momentary levels of a single species, 443 nmol/h/m(2) of propanal, while fiberboard peaked at only 123 nmol/h/m(2) of propanal. In turn, the emission from the painted fiberboard had the slowest decline, and thus at the end of the experiment the highest levels. All substrates gave an emission that peaked within 16 h.