VOC emissions from building materials are assumed to cause irritation of eye and the upper airways (sensory irritation, SI) in the indoor environment. Four finishing products, two PVC floorings and paints, were selected to this study: PVC(+) and Paint(+) were accepted whereas PVC(-) and Paint(-) were not acceptable in the human sensory evaluation. SI potency of VOC mixtures representing the material emissions were tested by the mouse bioassay (ASTM E981-84 ). Both the paint mixtures were much poorer irritants than PVC(-), but stronger than PVC(+).
The Sick Building Syndrome (SBS-syndrome) as defined by a WHO working group is discussed, and the existence of a sub syndrome is postulated, based on observations reported in the literature. This sub syndrome relates mucous membrane irritation - sensory irritation, dryness in nose and eye, which are very frequent symptoms within the Sick Building Syndrome - to the totalconcentration of volatile organic compounds (VOC) of the solvent type. This VOC syndrome may include other until now unidentified symptoms.
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