"Sick car syndrome" is known as a syndrome having latent health damage caused by complex smell of the assorted chemicals such as PVC and ABS which was components of new car interior trim (sheet, dashboard, audio case, cable, safety glass, synthetic rubber, and adhesive). The impact of interior trim on VOC levels was evaluated by testing with leather or fabric trims. Concentrations of VOCs and formaldehyde (HCHO) discharged from the car interior trims (2 sheet covers and 1 headliner) fixed in the sample holder of the small chamber were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Concentrations of TVOC and HCHO emitted from 3 samples increased with increasing temperature and time. Concentration of TVOC emitted from PVC foam leather was highest under experimental conditions.

In this study, the malt residue was torrefied. The torrefaction of malt residue was investigated in a horizontal tubular reactor under nitrogen flow at a temperature ranging from 200 to 450℃. This study presents the effects of torrefaction on the basic characteristics of malt residue. The torrefied malt residue products were characterized in terms of their energy yield, ash content and volatile fraction. The gaseous products were also analyzed. It was found that the malt residue undergoes changes in their physical and chemical properties during torrefaction. Furthermore, the energy and mass yield were found to decrease with an increase in the torrefaction temperature, whereas the higher heating value increased gradually up to 450℃ on increasing the torrefaction temperature.