Your smell is most likely mold. Solid wood is not recommended for below grade installations. Concrete wicks water, and below grade, it wicks a lot of water. The plywood is just adding another layer for the mold to feed on.

thanks for the reply. We do not see any visible moldy spots on the floor. One thing really strange is that the moisture reading on hardwood floor is actually higher than the plywood below it. Does it make sense? The person who did the measurement said that the finishing on the solid hardwood may interfere with the measurement. That was the first time I have heard of this. Will hardwood emit chemical smell when moisture level is high? If so, what kind of chemical should we expect?

Exotic species of wood will emit a strange smell.
Santos Mahogany smells like a horse barn to me.
Brazilian Cherry smells like BO.

As far as the basement, If it were a floating subfloor over a moisture barrier, the concrete moisture vapor emissions would not be a problem and if the basement is conditioned with HVAC, it won't be a problem, as long as it runs enough to pull the humidity out of the below grade basement.

If this was glued in any place, some of the moisture cure wood adhesives, have a very strong pungent smell.

I actually have a very similar odour problem with our house! We bought an old house in May 2010 - we had the floorboards sanded, stained with a Bona DriFast Stain (provincial), and finished with Bona Traffic. After more than a year, I am still getting a 'chemical' smell in the house that is driving me crazy (it too is worse in humid weather and gives me a sore throat). I rang the company who did the floor job and they dont know of any problems others have had with odours from the acrylic-based Bona finish. However, I wonder if the odour is actually coming from the stain, which contains solvents.
For months, I thought the smell may be coming from old plaster and we have therefore considered replastering the whole house (!). However, before we embark on this huge financial cost, we need to rule out that the smell isnt coming from the new floor finish.
I am concerned about possible negative health consequences of inhaling the smell but locating the source of the smell is extremely difficult. Can anyone suggest any means of testing whether the floor itself is still offgassing?

Staren....does not say what specie of wood was sanded.

I have never experienced lingering odor with the Traffic product. Once it cures, which is in about seven days, any offgassing completely stops. I would be very surprised to learn otherwise.

Air sampling should be able to reveal what chemicals are present in your home air. That would help to establish the source of the chemical smell and also if there are any negative consequences of inhaling it.

Staren, is your floor also in the basement?

We just measured the moisture level for the floor. Fortunately, there are some "fake" vents" around the floor that expose the subfloor flywood underneath. When the weather is dry, the plywood measured to be 12-14% in moisture content, the Brazillian cherry is measured around 10-12%. Last night, we had a few sprinkles. The plywood moisture level shot up to 16-18%. But the hardwood moisture remains the same. I can tell there is a black felt layer between subfloor and hardwood floor. But I don't know if there is a vapor barrier between concrete slab and subfloor. I may have to drill a hole on the subfloor to find out.

Is it possible that high moisture content is preventing the Bona Traffic to cure correctly?

Bona Traffic claims of being "green" is not because of a low odor claim. It gets its "green" designation by having low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).

The odor or lack of is a result of lower VOCs as compared to a oil based poly urethane which has signicantly more VOCs.

Qualified professions use this product and other water bourne urethanes every single day. Without issue. As heard by in this forum.

Multiple people having issues with odors with the only common demnominator being the Bona Traffic is not enough to say its the finish that is faulty. Each person has unique differences which causes too many variables to single out the finish.

Air sampling is the only way to establish what chemicals you are smelling and what is the source of the molecules involved.

@Staren and @SiteReader - I am having the same problem with Bona finished floors and Provincial stain. How did you end up getting rid of the smell? I'm trying to decide how to deal with it now. Thank you!!

I also suspect a problem with Bona - new house (to us) - red oak refinished in August with one coat of sealer,, one coat of Traffic and one of Traffic HD - all waterborne satin. The refinishers have never heard of this - and they use Bona all the time. We waited a good long time before moving in - about 6 weeks.....and had windows open for ventilation when appropriate. Of course, we were closed up in the winter (very cold), but are not seeing any relief now that we are able to open up on a regular basis. Only the rooms with hardwood seem to be affected which is all of a small, 2 story open floor plan except bathroom and side entry) - walkout basement with new carpet and paint in November (no hardwood) does not have the odor - actually has no odor (after a month or so of diminishing smell). It is somewhat of a dirt,earthy but not damp smell.....(but is not dirty).

I tend to have an acute sense of smell, and smell it every day - I have never ever smelled this odor anywhere else. My husband does not notice it at all, nor his sister over a 4 day period. It is making me crazy. Opening windows does help get fresh air in, but......it still smells.

Has anyone found a solution, or that there is a known problem, or how long it takes to go away for us sensitive noses?

Dirt/earthy is often just that....earth or dampness. The bona is WELLLLLLLL cured by now. In fact the Bona has some of the fastest CURE times in the industry (mixing traffic and Traffic HD is becoming more common...I'm not concerned about that).

The only thing I can think of is the wood was a snick damp when installed...or the SUBFLOOR under the wood was a snick damp at the time of install. And the smell is more the wood than the finish.

Check your humidity levels in the basement vs. upstairs. I would bet my bottom dollar the basement has higher humidity and that is "soaking" the wood subfloor and causing some form of moisture imbalance.

I would purchase a $30 hygrometer from HD or Lowes and then place it in the basement (directly underneath the rooms where the odour is occurring) and get some readings. Then move it upstairs into those rooms with the wood. See if there is an imbalance of moisture.

If there is, correct the moisture imbalance and you will probably correct the odour. For $30 it is worth a shot.