Determination of potential odor causing compounds in the condensate water from the manufacturing process of unsaturated polyester resin

Abstract

Unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) condensate water contains biodegradable organic compounds, including those that create  unpleasant odor. Those odors can adversely impact the environment, human health, and, most of all, the uncomfortably. It is important to identify odor-originated chemical compounds to propose a suitable treatment. In this study fractional distillation method to separate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from UPR condensate water is applied. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy (GC - MS) was used to examine the chemical compounds in URP condensate water. The results showed that unpleasant odors came from the first distillated fraction of URL condensate water, and its composition suggested potential odor compounds of propanoic acid.