ISO 17299-4:2015

Overview

ISO 17299-4:2015 - "Textiles - Determination of deodorant property - Part 4: Condensation sampling analysis" specifies a laboratory method to evaluate the deodorant (odour-reducing) performance of textile products. The standard uses condensation sampling to collect very low concentrations of gaseous odour chemicals and concentrates them for analysis by instrumental techniques (e.g., thermal-desorption GC-MS or ion chromatography). Target analytes include common odour chemicals such as indole, methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, isovaleric acid, and nonenal.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and principle: Measure odour chemical concentration in sealed containers with and without textile specimens; compute odour reduction rate (ORR) from the difference.
• Sampling apparatus and materials: 3 L plastic bags, micro syringe, heat sealer (or adhesive tape), aspirator/vacuum pump, adsorption tubes (for thermal desorption), impingers (for liquid trapping), air pump and thermal-desorption GC or ion chromatography.
• Test procedure highlights:
  • Use three replicate specimens per test (three test bags and three control bags).
  • Clean/flush bags with nitrogen or clean air before testing.
  • Introduce a defined quantity of odour chemical (prepared as solution or master gas) into a 3 L bag filled with 2.5 L of diluent gas, knead, and incubate (typical reaction time: 2 h).
  • Withdraw 2.0 L of test gas at ~0.2 L/min into adsorption tubes or impingers for condensation sampling.
• Analytical methods:
  • Adsorption tubes → thermal-desorption GC with detectors such as FID, FPD, or MS (examples and instrument conditions provided in informative annexes).
  • Impinger-collected samples → ion chromatography for analytes like methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide.
• Calibration and calculation:
  • Multi-point calibration (≥3 concentrations) with correlation coefficient > 0.99.
  • Convert chromatographic peak area to amount (ng), compute concentration (ng/L = ng ÷ sampling volume), then calculate ORR = (B − A) / B × 100% (A = mean concentration with specimen; B = mean concentration without specimen).
• Reporting: Include method reference, sample information, sampling and test conditions, concentration and ORR data, and deviations.

Practical applications

• Objective laboratory evaluation of odour-mitigation or deodorant treatments on apparel, sportswear, medical textiles, and technical textiles.
• Quality control, R&D for odor-control finishes, and compliance testing for claims about odour reduction.
• Comparative testing of materials, finishes, or product designs using standardized sampling and analytical workflows.

Who should use this standard

• Textile laboratories and quality-control teams
• R&D scientists developing odor-control finishes and fibres
• Third‑party testing organizations and certification bodies
• Manufacturers reporting deodorant performance to customers

Related standards

• ISO 17299-1: General principle
• ISO 17299-2: Detector tube method
• ISO 17299-3: Gas chromatography method
• ISO 17299-5: Metal-oxide semiconductor sensors method

Keywords: ISO 17299-4:2015, condensation sampling analysis, deodorant property, textiles, odour chemicals, indole, methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, isovaleric acid, nonenal, thermal-desorption GC-MS, ion chromatography, odour reduction rate (ORR).