Previous work funded by ASHRAE resulted in the development of a tobacco odor simulant known as Formula #9. ASHRAE Committee TC 2.3 decided to develop a test method for gaseous filtering media. A program was awarded to determine if Formula #9 could be used in the test method as the odorous medium to challenge the filters. The objective of the program was to compare real tobacco smoke to Formula #9 using a standard test duct and generic filter media made of 50 percent charcoal and 50 percent Purafil.™

In 1972 ASHRAE sponsored a three-phase program, Project RP-111 entitled "Determination of Odor Components in Tobacco Smoke", in order to develop a formulation consisting of defined chemical substances that could reproducibly simulate tobacco smoke odor. Phase I of the program consisted of gas chromatographic and sensory measurements of a variety of tobacco smoke odors. It was determined the major odor components of tobacco smoke and the odor intensity of different quantities of several tobacco smoke sources (cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco). A publication resulted from this work.* The odor-relevant components determined in Phase I were identified by mass spectrometry in Phase II . In Phase III, a synthetic tobacco smoke odor simulant mixture known as ASHRAE Formula #9 was formulated. The results of Phases II and III were also reported in the literature .** One critical aspect of Phase III was the sensory evaluation and comparison of Formula #9 (and the other formulations) against real tobacco smoke odor. All nine members of an odor panel reported that Formula #9 did simulate tobacco smoke odor and collectively gave it a score of 84 out of a possible 100.

It was believed that a test method using this formulation could be developed based on the above work. The formulation could be used in a relatively simple test setup which would allow filter manufacturers to measure the effectiveness of their filtering media. This would aid the manufacturer in the production of effective filters and the customer in evaluating various products.

* A. Dravnieks, J. Whitfield, and J . Shah. Determination of odor components in tobacco smoke. ASHRAE Trans., 80, Part I , 76-91

** A. Dravnieks, A. O'Donnell, and H. R. Reilich. Determination of odor components in tobacco smoke: design of a mixture to simulate odor. ASHRAE Trans., 81, Part I I , 200-212