Working environment - measuring for chemical and physical components - Organic Solvents (VOC, VVOC)

Working Environment – Measurements of Chemical and Physical Components – Organic Solvents (VOC, VVOC)

Solvents are emitted in many ways for instance during cleaning, cooking, combustion, renovation, spray painting, or varnishing. They can also be emitted from building materials such as adhesives, sealants, or paint.

The substances may include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (collectively abbreviated as “BTEX”), aldehydes, styrene, acetone, alcohols, hydrocarbons, etc.

Danish Technological Institute can assist you with:

• Identification and quantification of selected individual substances
• VOC/VVOC screenings, e.g., in indoor environments
• Development of analytical methods for unique or complex compounds (e.g., pharmaceutical products)
• Advisory services and strategy connected with sampling

In occupational environments, samples are often collected by drawing air through a selected medium with a pump that has a defined flow rate. Afterwards, the samples are analysed in the laboratory for the requested parameters. Analyses can be carried out with stationary or portable equipment. Sampling takes about 4 hours (but may take shorter or longer time, depending on the process and level of exposure).

Passive measurements may be a better choice (typically for certain measurements of volatile organic compounds). In that case, sampling usually takes 1–2 weeks.