VOC's: What are they?

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids.
• VOCs have inherent physical and chemical properties that allow these compounds to move between water and air.
• VOCs have been used extensively in the U.S. since the 1940s. Some VOCs, such as chlorinated solvents, have been used in commerce and industry for almost 100 years.

Where do we find them?

Some VOCs may occur naturally in the environment, other compounds occur only as a result of manmade activities and some compounds have both origins.

VOCs are emitted from a number of products, including paints, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, air fresheners, hobby supplies and permanent markers.

In 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey announced the results of its "National assessment of volatile organic compounds." Samples from 3,498 wells in 98 aquifer studies that were collected during 1985-2002 were analyzed for 55 VOCs.

About 19 percent of the samples contained one or more VOCs at an assessment level of 0.2 µg/L.


What they can do to you

VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects, such as:

• Eye, nose and throat irritation;
• headaches and loss of coordination; and
• damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system.

The presence of elevated VOC concentrations in drinking water may be a concern to human health because of their potential carcinogenicity.

Ian: All of our carbon filters neutralise VOC's.