Introduction

The legal definition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) differs from country to country. The U.S. defines volatile organic compounds as organic compounds, basically all hydrocarbons, with low solubility in water, and a propensity for vaporization at relatively low temperatures, including room temperature. Essentially, a volatile organic compound is a chemical or compound that contains such vapor pressure that it does not take much heat to vaporize the particular chemical or compound into a gaseous form. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and enter the surrounding air. An example is formaldehyde, with a boiling point of 19 C (2 F), slowly exiting paint and getting into the air. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a VOC as any organic compound that participates in a photoreaction; others believe this definition is very broad and vague as organics that are not volatile in the sense that they vaporize under normal conditions can be considered volatile by this EPA definition. The term may refer both to well characterized organic compounds and to mixtures of variable composition. The most common natural volatile organic compound is methane, an indicator of natural gas formation. A common man-made volatile organic compound is formaldehyde, found in furniture components, paint, and many cleaning solutions and disinfectants. Volatile organic compounds and their heretofore unrestricted use has been a major contributor to such environmental issues as smog and sick building syndrome.

Emission Sources
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Paints Varnishes Moth balls Solvents Gasoline Newspaper Cooking Cleaning Chemicals Vinyl floors

10. Carpets 11. Photocopying 12. Upholstery Fabrics 13. Adhesives 14. Sealing Caulks 15. Cosmetics 16. Air Fresheners 17. Fuel Oil 18. Vehicle Exhaust 19. Pressed wood furniture 20. Environmental Tobacco Smoke (Secondhand smoke)

Harmful effects of VOCs

Many VOCs are dangerous to human health or cause harm to the environment. VOCs are numerous, varied, and ubiquitous. They include both man-made and naturally occurring chemical compounds. VOCs play an important role in communication between plants. Anthropogenic VOCs are regulated by law, especially indoors, where concentrations are the highest. VOCs are typically not acutely toxic, but instead have compounding long-term health effects. Because the concentrations are usually low and the symptoms slow to develop, research into VOCs and their effects is difficult.

Environmental effects
VOCs are sometimes accidentally released into the environment, where they can damage soil and groundwater. Vapours of VOCs escaping into the air contribute to air pollution. VOCs are an important outdoor air pollutant. In this field they are often divided into the separate categories of methane ((CH4) and non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to enhanced global warming. Other hydrocarbon VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases via their role in creating ozone and in prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere, although the effect varies depending on local air quality. Within the NMVOCs, the aromatic compounds benzene, toluene and xylene are suspected carcinogens and may lead to leukemia through prolonged exposure. 1,3-butadiene is another dangerous compound which is often associated with industrial uses. Some VOCs also react with nitrogen oxides in the air in the presence of sunlight to form ozone. Although ozone is beneficial in the upper atmosphere because it absorbs UV thus protecting humans, plants, and animals from exposure to dangerous solar radiation, it poses a health threat in the lower atmosphere by causing respiratory problems. In addition high concentrations of low level ozone can damage crops and buildings.

Health Effects
Mainly, the effects of VOCs are seen in respiratory ailments, and disorders of the immune system. Increasingly, however, the vaporous effects of volatile organic compounds are recognized as actually being absorbed through the skin, leading to further complications. VOCs are now considered more than a nuisance, theyre downright deadly.

Acute
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Nausea / Vomiting Dizziness Asthma exacerbation Eye, Nose, and Throat irritation Headaches

Chronic
1. 2. 3.

Cancer Liver and Kidney damage Central Nervous System damage

Contribution to indoor air pollution

Many VOCs found around the house, such as paint strippers and wood preservatives, contribute to sick building syndrome because of their high vapour pressure. VOC's are often used in paint, carpet backing, plastics, and cosmetics. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found concentrations of VOCs in indoor air to be 2 to 5 times greater than in outdoor air. During certain activities indoor levels of VOCs may reach 1,000 times that of the outside air. Not all organic compounds are volatile; many plastics (polymers) and other large molecules may not have significant vapor pressure at normal temperatures.