title: Investigation of the volatile organic substances that cause the characteristic odor of pentachlorophenol treated wood utility poles.
abstract: The nature of the volatile organic compounds that could be at the origin of the characteristic odor of treated wood utility poles was investigated by the study of compositional changes in the chromatographic profiles of fresh-pentachlorophenol (PCP) solvent samples and weathered samples collected from an in-service red pine pole. Over 99 peaks were identified in the chromatogram of the fresh solvent from which a large portion of the C3-, C4-, C5-, C6-alkylbenzene isomers and early eluting n-alkanes was missing from the analysis of weathered samples. Three domains in the chromatographic profile (volatile, semivolatile, and nonvolatile components) were confirmed by assessing the headspace of fresh-PCP solvent samples using direct syringe sampling and solid-phase microextraction. A first level of field validation was achieved using an emission cell for measuring substances emanating from sapwood specimens at different temperatures. The average latent heat of vaporization (deltaHvap) of the PCP-solvent components was estimated at 99.9 kJ/mol from these results. Finally, the analysis of airborne substances at a treating plant and a utility pole storage site confirmed that the C4-, C5-, and C6-alkylbenzene isomers could contribute to the characteristic odor perceived by humans.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche d'Hydro-Québec, 1800, Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec, Canada J3X 1S1.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fortin
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Besner
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Labrecque
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hubert
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002845:Chromatography; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D009812:Odorants; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012903:Smell; D012997:Solvents; D014835:Volatilization; D014934:Wood
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010575:Pesticides; D012997:Solvents; D010416:Pentachlorophenol