Strict limits have been set for volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions due to their direct and indirect effects on the environment and the potential risk to human health. Industrial plants using solvents have to limit their emissions to the levels stated in VOC-directive (Directive 99/13/EC) before the end of October 2007. This directive states that the VOC emissions from the solvent using industry should be reduced by 67% compared to the 1990 VOC levels. Furthermore the directive sets very strict limits (in some cases below 1 ppm) for the so called ”R-labeled” VOCs, which contain for example different chlorinated VOCs.

In environmental analysis, one of the most challenging and still unresolved needs is the reliable measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOC). VOC emissions are normally present as mixtures. Furthermore, it is typical for many really harmful VOCs to be present at low concentrations. The emission limits for these compounds are also very low. This poses an enormous challenge in terms of the sampling, measurement and the selection of removal methods. Different available electrochemical techniques that are used for example in various alarm sensors cannot be widely applied to VOC analysis due to their lack of selectivity, despite the fact that they perform well in certain restricted applications. To date, however, no reliable, selective and sensitive measurement technique exists that is capable of identifying the VOC emission levels of certain “R-labelled” VOCs in order to fulfil the limits stipulated by new VOC-directives.

www.zero-voc.eu