Why do you need accurate VOC testing of soil?

What is a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)?
VOCs are organic compounds that have a high vapour pressure and low water solubility.

Where do VOCs come from?
Many are human made and are used and produced in the manufacturing industry (e.g. in paint, refrigerant and pharmaceutical manufacture). VOCs are typically industrial solvents e.g. trichloroethene, or bi-products of the chlorination of water treatments, e.g. chloroforms. In the household sources can include, paint, paint stripper, aerosol sprays, disinfectants, air fresheners and much more….

Are VOCs dangerous to me?
VOCs include a variety of chemicals, which may have short and long term adverse health effects. The health effects can vary greatly from those that are highly toxic, to those which at present, have no known health effects. Many are suspected to be cancer causing in humans and some are known to be carcinogenic in animals. VOCs have a major impact to the ozone.

What Chemex can do!
We test for a standard suite of 72 target volatile organic compounds, US EPA Method 8260 as modified for the US EPA CLP. Our method utilizes GC/MS instrumentation. Mass selective detectors allow excellent compound identification, even when some compounds co-elute. Sample concentrations are calculated by individual quantitation mass peak areas for each target compound to the appropriate internal standard quantitation mass peak area and the response factor calibrated from the preceding calibration standard. For a full method summary and target compound list highlight the link.

• Every compound listed with accreditation
• Non target compounds can be identified
• Extra compounds available with full method validation
• Bespoke Target Compound Lists
• Quick Turnaround
• Comprehensive report package with QA/QC data on request
• Sample data validated by ISO 17025 accredited Quality System and mCERTS requirements
• Adapting to client’s individual QAPPs