Introduction I
The term “volatile organic compounds” or, VOCs sounds rather daunting to an individual without a degree in chemistry or a lot of experience because measurement and interpretation of VOCs is wholly different from nearly all other indoor air quality measurements. What is measured are chemical compounds with strange sounding names like geraniol, citronellyl formate, and limonene which must be translated into Japanese Beetle attractant, rose scent, and citrus. And then, even after the translation has been made, interpretation is required to answer questions such as: “What is a normal level for this compound?” “Is this level hazardous?” and “Do I need to do something to manage it and, if so, what?” America Air Testing specializes in this field. It is no longer necessary for the homeowner, business, or school to grapple with these problems. With over 11 years of experience in this area, American Air Testing is your “go-to” resource to design sampling plans, select the right, accredited laboratory to analyze the samples, and then to interpret the results and translate them into an action plan.
Understanding Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Understanding VOCs starts with understanding the impact of all VOCs put together, commonly referred to as Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs). The TVOC load can have significant, deleterious effects on building occupants. High levels of TVOC can cause headaches, nausea, and lethargy and can exacerbate conditions such as asthma, flu, and bronchial conditions. It is possible to establish reasonable, workable limits for TVOCs. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, USGBC) has set the standard for Green Buildings at <500 ng/L. Many in the European Community have established a TVOC limit of 300 ng/L with no single compound contributing more than 10% of the total. One major US chemical company uses the standard of <500 ng/L as their target for non-manufacturing areas, 500-1000 ng/L as their “action level” and >1000 ng/L as their “immediate action level.” The literature generally seems to agree that <300 ng/L represents an “acceptable” TVOC level and that >3000 ng/L represents a “hazardous” TVOC level; however, few seem to want to address the hazards involved with levels between 300 and 3000 ng/L. The recognized symptoms above 3000 ng/L generally include drowsiness, eye and respiratory irritation, general malaise, headache, nausea, and exacerbation of symptoms of respiratory ailments. Some data suggests that high TVOC levels amplify the hazardous effects of specific, harmful VOCs. In addition, there is some empirical information from Industrial Hygienists who perform medically driven environmental investigations which indicates that typically acceptable levels are too high by a factor of two or more for chemically sensitive individuals.
