What are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. They are emitted as gases from a variety of solids or liquids and include chemicals that may have short-term and long-term adverse health effects. Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX) are a subcategory of VOCs.

Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, refrigerants, petroleum-based fuels, hydraulic fluids, paint thinners, and dry-cleaning agents. VOCs are common ground-water contaminants.

VOC Testing at PPB Analytical

PPB Analytical provides VOCs analysis of soil, water, sludge, sediments, and organics (such as food). The PPB Analytical Sample Preparation and Analysis Method for VOCs is modified from US EPA methods 5000, 5030C, 5035A and 8260C and Ontario Ministry of Environment Protocol for Analytical Methods Used in the Assessment of Properties under Part XV.1 of the Environmental Protection Act.

Our accredited method is suitable for extracting VOCs from liquids and solids such as water, soils, sludges, and wastes. The analytical technique involved in VOCs analysis is purge-and-trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

The VOCs test package includes BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) and detects the following compounds:

Acetone Chloroform Dichloroethane, 1,2- Ethylene dibromide Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1,2- Trichlorofluoromethane
Benzene Dibromochloromethane Dichloroethylene, 1,1- Hexane, n- Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2,2- Vinyl chloride
Bromodichloromethane Dichlorobenzene, 1,2- Dichloroethylene, 1,2-cis- Methyl ethyl ketone Tetrachloroethylene Xylene mixture
Bromoform Dichlorobenzene, 1,3- Dichloroethylene, 1,2-trans- Methyl isobutyl ketone Toluene  
Bromomethane Dichlorobenzene, 1,4- Dichloropropane, 1,2- Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) Trichloroethane, 1,1,1-  
Carbon tetrachloride Dichlorodifluoromethane Dichloropropene, 1,3- Methylene chloride Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-  
Chlorobenzene Dichloroethane, 1,1- Ethylbenzene Styrene Trichloroethylene  

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