VDA 278 (05/2016)

This analytical method is intended for the determina-tion of emissions from non-metallic materials used for moulded parts in motor vehicles such as:
textiles, carpets, adhesives, sealing compounds, foams, leather, plastic parts, films and sheets, paints or material combinations.

The materials are characterized with regard to the type and quantity of the organic substances out gassed from them.
In this method two semi-quantitative cumulative val-ues are determined which allow the emission of vola-tile organic compounds (VOC value1) and the portion of condensable substances (FOG value) to be esti-mated. Furthermore, single substance emissions are determined. During the analysis, the samples are thermally ex-tracted, and the emissions are separated by gas chromatography and detected by mass spectrometry. This test method provides values which are only valid under the conditions described in this Rec-ommendation. The results which can be achieved using this method are not appropriate

• for making further estimations of any kind of
  the health effects of the emitted sub-stances,
• to be used in any form as a basis for the esti-
  mation of concentrations which might be found
  in the interior of a complete vehicle in station-
  ary condition, while driving or in conditions
  similar to driving.

VOC value = Volatile Organic Compounds