Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) & Things Building Occupants Should Know

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. VOCs include a large group of chemicals that can be found in a number of products and materials used to build, furnish, clean and maintain homes and buildings. They can also be found in a number of personal care and consumer products. Workers in a number of occupations could also be at risk of exposure to elevated levels of VOCs.
VOCs are an indoor air quality (IAQ) concern because they are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors, and VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands reports the EPA.
Possible health effects from exposure to VOCs shared by EPA include:
• Eye, nose and throat irritation
• Headaches, loss of coordination and nausea
• Damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system
• Some organics can cause cancer in animals, and some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans
EPA also lists key signs or symptoms associated with possible exposure to VOCs, including:
• conjunctival irritation
• nose and throat discomfort
• headache
• allergic skin reaction
• dyspnea
• declines in serum cholinesterase levels
• nausea
• emesis
• epistaxis
• fatigue
• dizziness
As with other indoor pollutants, the extent and nature of any health effect will depend on many factors, including which VOCs cause the exposure, the level of exposure, length of time exposed and the individual.
These are just a few of the many things to know about VOCs and the indoor environment. To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. www.emsl.com
LA Testing www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental www.zimmetry.com
CTSI www.ctsiweb.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine www.healthyindoors.com

[@cariocagain]

sorry but there are vocs with high water solubility, such as formaldehyde