Page 6 - InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2024

Fish-based bio-adhesives for healthier built environment

Mariem Zouari , Ingrid Bakke , Roland Kallenborn , Anders Q Nyrud 2
2
1*
2
1 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a 6310 Izola/Isola, mariem.zouari@innorenew.eu
2 Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Postboks 5003 1432 Ås, ingrid.m.bakke@nmbu.no, roland.kallenborn@nmbu.no,
anders.q.nyrud@nmbu.no
* Corresponding author

With increased use of glued timber products for construction, adhesives have gained significant importance in the

wood industry. The sector is largely dominated by synthetic adhesives due to their convenience, high performance,
and availability. Commonly used wood adhesives include phenol formaldehyde, urea formaldehyde, polyurethane,
etc. (Vallée et al., 2017). The occurrence of glued wood composites in the built environment increases the risk of
exposure to toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) potentially emitted by synthetic adhesives. In this regard,
there has been a shift towards exploring the possibility of developing bio-based adhesives derived from natural
and safe resources. This shift has been empowered by public awareness and legislation concerned with setting
strict thresholds for VOCs in the indoor environment.

Fish protein-based adhesive represents a potential candidate as a green alternative to synthetic products. Fish
glue is regarded as a sustainable and economically advantageous product given that it is derived from marine
by-products, opening a promising valorization route. The application of bio-adhesives, such as fish glue, in

construction timber structures may contribute to reducing human health risks given that they are less likely to
emit anthropogenic VOCs.

This study aims to investigate the total VOCs emissions from various fish glue samples developed for use in

glued timber structures. Samples will be kept in a controlled conditioning chamber for three days at 23 °C.
Subsequently, air will be sampled on Tenax tubes, and individual VOCs will be tested using gas chromatography
(TD-GC x GC-MS). Commercial glue samples will also be tested and used for comparison. The collected

chromatograms will be assessed, and compounds will be identified based on a library and quantified with internal

standard calibration. Moreover, the health risks associated with different glue types will be evaluated and the
results will be presented.

Keywords: Bio-adhesive, fish protein, emissions, indoor air

Acknowledgment: The authors gratefully acknowledge receiving funding from [The Slovenian research and
innovation agency, J4-4546], and COST action [CA20133].

REFERENCES

Vallée, T., Tannert, T., Fecht, S., 2017. Adhesively bonded connections in the context of timber engineering – A
Review. J. Adhes. 93, 257–287. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218464.2015.1071255

6 11–12 SEPTEMBER 2024 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA