Properties
Volatile Organic Compounds (abbreviated as VOCs) or VOCs belong to a group of organic compounds characterized by their ease of conversion to vapor or gas form and low solubility in water.
Classification
Volatile organic compounds can be classified due to:
- The number of carbon molecules in the bond
|
Class |
Boiling point [°C]. |
Number of carbon molecules |
Example |
|
VVOC |
< 0 to (50-100) |
< C6 |
Formaldehyd |
|
VOC |
(50-100) to (240-260) |
C6 to C16 |
Benzen |
|
SVOC |
(240-260) to (380-400) |
> C16 |
Di-isononyl phthalate |
|
TVOC |
Summary volume |
||
- Groups of described compounds distinguished by their chemical and physical properties
|
Name |
Examples |
|
|
Hydrocarbons |
Aliphatic |
Alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, e.g. ethane, ethylene, acetylene, isobutane |
|
Ringed |
cycloalkanes |
|
|
Aromatic |
BTEX or benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes |
|
|
Halogens |
chloromethane, trichloroethane |
|
|
Nitrated |
nitrobenzen |
|
|
Alcohols and phenols |
methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanols, phenol, cresols |
|
|
Carbonyl derivatives |
formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone |
|
|
Carboxylic acids and esters |
Formic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, ethyl acetate, butyratemethyl |
|
|
Heterocyclic organic compounds |
containing, among other things, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur (e.g., indole, scatol, pyridine); most of them are so-called odors |
|
|
Aliphatic sulfur compounds |
mercaptans |
|
|
Amines |
Aliphatic |
triethylamine |
|
Aromatic |
aniline |
Origin of pollution
|
Building materials and furnishings |
Floor glue, paints, removers, sealants, polymer materials (vinyl, PVC and rubber flooring), furniture and wood products containing formaldehyde-based resins (particleboard, plywood, medium density fiberboard), insulation materials, textiles |
|
Domestic garages (directly connected to the house) |
Potential source of gasoline fumes due to exhaust emissions, stored hobby supplies (e.g., adhesives) |
|
Heating and cooking system |
Home fireplaces, solid fuel stoves (wood, agricultural waste, coal), cooking techniques (meat-burning, deep-frying) |
|
Consumer products |
Household chemicals (detergents, disinfectants, softeners, carpet cleaners), cosmetics (liquid soaps, shampoos, nail polish, nail polish remover), electronic equipment (photocopiers), insecticides (mosquito repellents), paper goods |
|
Incense and scented candles |
Used in religious sites |
|
Energy, manufacturing processes, traffic pollution, coking plants |
Products of incomplete combustion of solid fuels, biomass and biofuels |
Impact on health
Volatile organic compounds are involved in many photochemical reactions that produce harmful and even toxic products. They can cause serious health effects, as many of them exhibit mutagenic, carcinogenic or neurotoxic properties.
Due to the widely varying properties of VOCs, it is difficult to succinctly describe their effects on human health. The vast majority of them lead to irritation of the mucous membranes and respiratory tract. The effects of prolonged exposure to volatile VOCs can include lung damage, swelling of the larynx, dizziness, damage to the nervous system, damage to the fetus (in the case of pregnancy), loss of consciousness and even cancerous changes.
Standards
|
Name |
Standars of WHO |
Standards of UE |
Standards of PL |
|
Benzen |
Impossible to determine specific level of harm to health protection |
5µg/m3 – annual average |
30 µg/m3 – 1h |
|
5µg/m3 – annual average |
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|
Formaldehyde |
0,1mg/m3 – 30min |
No data available |
50µg/m3 –1h avverage |
|
4µg/m3 – year average |
|||
|
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) |
No threshold for human exposure to PAH concentrations can be determined, all exposures are harmful |
1 ng/m3 – year average |
1000µg/m3 – 1h |
|
43 µg/m3 – year average |
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|
Trichloroethylene |
No data available |
No data available |
400µg/m3 – 1h |
|
60µg/m3 – year average |
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|
Tetrachloroethylene |
0,25 mg/m3 – year average |
No data available |
600µg/m3 – 1h |
|
70µg/m3 – year average |
