Volatile VOC

What is VOC?

VOC stands for volatile organic compounds. There are several definitions of VOC, for example, the American ASTM D3960-98 standard defines VOC as any organic compound that can participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions. The definition of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Volatile organic compounds are substances other than CO CO2、 H2CO3、 Any carbon compound that participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions, except for metal carbides, metal carbonates, and ammonium carbonates. The World Health Organization (WHO, 1989) defines total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) as the collective term for volatile organic compounds with a melting point below room temperature and a boiling point between 50-260 ℃. The international standards ISO 4618/1-1998 and German DIN 55649-2000, which provide general terminology for paints and varnishes, define VOC as any organic liquid and/or solid that can spontaneously evaporate at room temperature and pressure. At the same time, the German DIN 55649-2000 standard also imposes a limitation on the determination of VOC content, which is any organic compound with a boiling point or initial boiling point lower than or equal to 250 ℃ under normal pressure conditions. BASF believes that the most convenient and common method is to define which substances belong to VOCs based on their boiling points, and the most common consensus is that VOCs refer to chemical substances with boiling points equal to or below 250 ℃. So substances with boiling points exceeding 250 ℃ are not classified as VOCs and are often referred to as plasticizers.

These definitions have similarities, but each has its own emphasis. As defined by the United States, there is no restriction on the boiling point and initial boiling point, emphasizing participation in atmospheric photochemical reactions. Those that do not participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions are called exempted solvents, such as acetone, tetrachloroethylene, etc. The World Health Organization and BASF limit the boiling point or initial boiling point, regardless of whether it participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions. The international standards ISO 4618/1-1998 and German DIN 55649-2000 do not limit the boiling point and initial boiling point, nor do they participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions. They only emphasize the ability to spontaneously evaporate at room temperature and pressure. These VOCs can be classified into two categories. The first category is the general definition of VOCs, which only explains what volatile organic compounds are or under what conditions they are volatile organic compounds; The other type is defined in terms of environmental protection, which means that it is the lively type of volatile organic compounds, that is, the type of volatile organic compounds that can cause harm. It is very obvious that, from an environmental perspective, volatilization and participation in atmospheric photochemical reactions are both very important. Not evaporating or participating in atmospheric photochemical reactions does not constitute a hazard. This is why Europe classifies solvents according to their potential for generating photochemical ozone.

Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC): VOC is commonly used to represent volatile organic compounds, which is the abbreviation of the first letter of the three words Votatile Organic Compound, but sometimes TVOC is also used to represent total volatile organic compounds.

The hazards of VOCs:

Among the more than 900 confirmed indoor chemicals and biological substances, there are at least 350 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (>1 ppb), of which more than 20 are carcinogens or mutagens. Due to their low individual concentrations but diverse types, they are collectively referred to as VOCs, with TVOC representing their total amount (i.e. total volatile organic compounds). When several VOCs coexist indoors, their combined toxic effects cannot be ignored.

Common types of TVOC include alkanes/cycloalkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, alkenes, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, etc.

The most common harm of TVOC to humans is irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, causing eye pain and dryness, increased blinking frequency, and tearing; Dry, stinging, nosebleeds, and nasal congestion in the nasopharynx, accompanied by coughing, hoarse voice, and changes in smell; Throat congestion and inflammation; Dry skin, itching, stinging, erythema, etc. When the TVOC content is severe, it can cause neural dysfunction and dementia, and can also lead to allergic pneumonia.

China also has strict restrictions on this type of pollution. The "Indoor Air Quality Standards" GB/T18883-2002 stipulate that the total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) should be less than 0.60 mg/m3.

Signs:

The main symptoms include irritation and dryness in the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as feelings of fatigue, weakness, discomfort, headache, and decreased memory. The main symptoms include abnormal odor, dizziness, headache, fatigue, dry eyes, dry nasopharynx, cough, sneezing, runny nose, tears, nausea, decreased appetite, drowsiness, frequent dreaming, irritability, restlessness, forgetfulness, dry skin, itching, dermatitis, rash, menstrual disorders, and sometimes asthma, difficulty breathing, suffocation, vomiting, and low work efficiency.

The main sources of TVOC are:

The sources of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) pollution are quite extensive, and almost all organic chemical products, synthetic materials, and fuel tobacco combustion will release TVOC to varying degrees,

Its main sources are:

Various coatings and adhesives; ◆ Artificial board; Wood furniture and wood paint; ◆ Plastic products; ◆ Synthetic fabrics such as carpets; Leather, sponge products, etc; Ink used in printed materials; ◆ Other household chemicals; Combustion of fuel, tobacco leaves, etc. The pollution sources involved are not just releasing a single pollutant, but often releasing multiple pollutants simultaneously.

The relationship between TVOC and VOC

TVOC is one of the three organic pollutants in the air (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and aldehydes) that has a more severe impact. VOC refers to organic compounds with a saturated vapor pressure exceeding 133.32pa at room temperature, with a boiling point between 50 ℃ and 250 ℃. They exist in the air in the form of evaporation at room temperature. Their toxicity, irritability, carcinogenicity, and special odor can affect the skin and mucous membranes, causing acute damage to the human body.

The main components of VOCs include hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, oxygenated hydrocarbons, and nitrogen-containing hydrocarbons, including benzene derivatives, organic chlorides, Freon series, organic ketones, amines, alcohols, ethers, esters, acids, and petroleum hydrocarbon compounds.

VOC detection service - NormalTCI Nomo detection

Given the hazardous nature of VOCs, governments and buyers around the world have varying degrees of requirements for the VOC content in their purchased products. NormalTCI offers one-stop VOC testing services, including a full range of discounted VOC testing services and individual testing services.

Number Test Item VOC Chinese Name

1 Cyclohexanone Cyclohexanone

2 Isophorone Isophorone

3 Methanol methanol

4 Ethanol Ethanol

5 Phenol phenol

6 Acetone Acetone

7 Ethyl acetate

8 Benzene benzene

9 n-Butanol n-butanol

10 MIBK (Methyl isobutyl ketone) methyl isobutyl ketone

11 n-Butyl acetate

12 Xylene (m, p, o) Xylene (ortho, meta, para)

13 Toluene toluene

14 Styrene styrene

15 1,2-dichlorobenzene 1,2-dichlorobenzene

16 Acetophenone Acetophenone

17 MEK (Methyl ethyl ketone)

18 Isopropyl alcohol

19 Dichloromethane Dichloromethane

20 Trichloroethylene trichloroethylene

21 Ethyl benzene

22 n-Hexane n-hexane

23 2-methoxyethyl acetate 2-methoxyethyl acetate

24 Nitrobenzne Nitrobenzene

25 Bis (2-methoxyethyl) ether bis (2-methoxyethyl) ether

26 Mesitylene (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene

VOC control of coatings/inks/adhesives/cleaning agents in China

Recently, due to the release of seven mandatory national standards, including "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Industrial Protective Coatings", "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Wood Coatings", and "Limits of Hazardous Substances in Building Wall Coatings", the VOC testing methods and content limits for four high-risk VOC materials, including coatings, inks, adhesives, and cleaning agents, have been standardized. Make VOC detection of cleaning agents, adhesives, inks, and coatings a hot topic.

On July 3, 2018, the "Three Year Action Plan for Winning the Blue Sky Defense War" was officially released, which includes comprehensive use of economic, legal, technological, and necessary administrative measures to adjust industrial structure, energy structure, transportation structure, and land use structure. The requirements for VOCs control in the series of action plans and supporting methods also include:

Develop comprehensive remediation plans for key industries such as petrochemicals, chemicals, industrial coatings, packaging and printing that emit VOCs, as well as for oil storage, transportation, and sales. Introduce standards for leak detection and repair, and develop technical guidelines for VOCs control;

Construction, production, and use of solvent based coatings, inks, adhesives, and other projects with high VOC content are prohibited in key areas;

Carry out special law enforcement actions for VOCs remediation;

In 2020, the total VOCs emissions decreased by more than 10% compared to 2015;

Study the inclusion of VOCs in the scope of environmental protection tax collection;

By the end of 2019, the mandatory national standards for VOCs content limits for products such as coatings, inks, adhesives, and cleaning agents will be established;

Deepen the research and development of VOCs whole process control and regulatory technologies, and increase environmental law enforcement such as VOCs pollution control.

So what are the requirements for VOC detection standards for cleaning agents, adhesives, inks, and coatings, and how should companies meet these requirements?

The brief update of the standard is as follows:

Please consult NormalTCI for specific questions

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