Volatile Organic Compound (VOC):

What is VOC:

Volatile Organic Compounds, more commonly known as VOC's consist of a wide variety of organic compounds that are vapor at room temperature.  Many different gasses may make up VOC's, and some of those gasses may also be associated with other families of gasses.  A complete list of VOC's can be found at the bottom of this page.

Health Risks of VOC's:

VOC's can cause respiratory, allergic, or immune effects in infants or children.

Some VOCs, such as styrene and limonene, can react with nitrogen oxides or with ozone to produce new oxidation products and secondary aerosols, which can cause sensory irritation symptoms.

Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. It is believed some VOC's can cause cancer with long term exposure.

Measuring VOC's in the air:

VOC's can be measured in air using a variety of principles.  Most commonly a HMOS, or Heated Metal Oxide sensor would be used, much like those that would measure oxygen, or ozone in the air.  A more accurate method, the Photoionization Detector (PID) can also be used.  The advantage of the PID sensor is that it provides bench scale type accuracy in a package that can be handheld.  

WHY USE A VOC SENSOR:

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemicals that are present in the gas phase at ordinary room temperature. The term VOC covers a wide range of chemical compounds that are both man-made or naturally occurring. Some VOCs are harmful to human health or can cause environmental damage. Although volatile organic compounds are usually not acutely toxic, they often cause long-term health effects from continuous low level exposure.

Indoor VOC:

The concentration of volatile organic compounds found in indoor environments is significantly higher when compared to outdoor levels. VOCs are emitted from a wide range of products commonly found inside buildings. They include paint, cleaning supplies, furnishings, glues, permanent markers and printing equipment. Levels can be particularly high when there is limited ventilation. Exposure to high concentrations of VOCs can lead to throat irritation, headaches and damage to internal organs. The severity of the health effect depends largely on the type of organic compound present as well as the exposure time.

Outdoor VOC:

A large proportion of outdoor VOC is biologically generated by plants and released via the leaves. The concentration emitted depends on the type of plant as well as environmental factors including temperature and sunlight. Urban planners will take this into consideration when deciding on the types of vegetation to plant in towns and cities. Although natural emissions tend to be larger overall, anthropogenic sources are more of a concern in urban areas. Emissions from the oil and gas industry, solvent usage and transportation all contribute to increased VOC concentrations.

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Complete list of gasses that fall into the Volatile Organic Compound catagory