Student Essay on Vocs

Vocs

Summary:   VOCs, also known as Volatile Organic Compounds contain carbon atoms. VOCs evaporate quickly from water into air at room temperatures. They are used in the production of a wide variety of industrial, commercial and products such as gasoline, paints, and pesticides. VOCs can not be identified through smell or taste. Examples of VOCs include methane, benzene, toluene, methylene chloride, and methyl chloroform.

VOCs, also known as Volatile Organic Compounds contain carbon atoms. VOCs evaporate quickly from water into air at room temperatures. They are used in the production of a wide variety of industrial, commercial and products such as gasoline, paints, and pesticides. VOCs can not be identified through smell or taste. Examples of VOCs include methane, benzene, toluene, methylene chloride, and methyl chloroform.

It has been found through scientific study that VOC vary considerably in their harmful effects. Some can be highly toxic while some may have no health effects whatsoever. VOCs cause irritation when they come in contact with the human epidermis, and irritate mucous membranes if they are inhaled. Some VOCs are also suspected of leading to cancer. When exposed to long periods, many VOCs cause central nervous system damage (leading to drowsiness, or coma). VOCs cause a great deal of damage to the environment; they cause the formation of low level ozone, cause destruction of wildlife life and damage of rubber and plastics. VOCs must be disposed as "special waste"; this causes the disposal to be expensive.

VOCs are used extensively in household products. Indoor products tend to cause the greatest chance of extensive exposure. They can be found in paints, varnishes and wax. VOCs are found in many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing and hobby products. Other indoor products such as gasoline and fuels, are all made up of organic compounds. Exposure can occur both, during the use and storage of these products. Research has found that the amount of certain organic compounds average 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors. Certain activities such as paint stripping release even more quantities of VOCs.

The most obvious way to reduce VOC's indoors is to remove the source. Advanced air purifiers with "HEPA filters" can be implemented to remove the gaseous contaminants from the air, also; opening windows and doors when the weather permits is helpful in removing harmful chemicals in the air. Using products that are known sources of VOCs in the appropriate manner, disposing of unused containers, keeping them out of reach of children and pets, never mixing products unless directed by a label, and buying limited quantities when required, will ensure reduced exposure of VOCs.

The main methods used to measure VOCs include chromatography and mass spectrometry, these are analytical tools that are used to identify unknown compounds, quantify known materials and explain the structural and physical properties of ions. They are techniques associated with very high levels of specificity and sensitivity. In order to test the measurement of emissions of volatile compounds under conditions designed to simulate product use in the indoor environment. Emission levels are determined by placing the test objects into a large environmental test chamber under specified test conditions, then measuring chamber air concentrations of VOCs at selected time intervals. Product specific emissions can be calculated from the chamber air measurements. Air samples are collected and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is used to determine the concentrations in the air samples. The samples are measured in mg/m3; these are measurements of vapor concentration.

It can be suggested that in comparison to other pollutants, the monitoring of VOCs is not yet well developed and there is no long term database of information. There are thousands of different VOCs produced and used in our daily lives. The exposure of a select few of these organic compounds is dangerous to human, economic and environmental health and thus alternatives must be explored and implemented. Because VOCs come from decaying organic matter, it is similar in chemical make-up to our bodies. Hence, it is difficult for the body both to recognize and to eliminate carbon based chemicals. This is unfortunate, because these chemicals are everywhere.