Volatile Organic Compounds Causes and Prevention

Volatile organic compounds known as VOC's are organic chemicals that are harmful to both plants and animals. Although they are not really toxic, constant exposure to this chemical type causes chronic results that can be dangerous to anything or anyone who comes in contact with it.

Some of the known effects of chronic exposure to volatile organic compounds include headaches, nausea, dizziness, skin allergy, damage in the nervous system and many more. In fact, the chemical compound is also a suspected cause for cancer in humans, making it vitally important to avoid the material as much as possible. One of the problems why VOC is hard to track and prevent is because although problematic, the concentration of the compound in the environment is low, making symptoms hard to diagnose because of the slowness of its onset.

Causes of Volatile Organic Compounds

There are many causes for VOC's including the emission of some cars. This is one of the reasons why emission testing has become a must in some cities in an attempt to minimize the pollution in the area. The chemical compound is also present in other materials including paint which is one of the reasons why VOC indoors seem to be in higher concentration the VOC outdoors.

How to Minimize VOC Concentration

Currently, there are VOC Sensors available on the market for those who are concerned about the concentrations in their house. In the even that volatile organic compounds become too high within the house, then ventilating the area would be easy. Simply open up all door and windows in order to allow the VOC components an exit point. Vehicles have also been found to emit VOC through fuel evaporation, making it necessary to keep the equipment in good working order all the time. For those who reside in areas where emissions testing is mandatory, this could be easily addressed by their emission test and repair providers.

Volatile organic compounds are harmful chemicals despite the fact that they are not yet well-known for some people. One thing to keep in mind in order to minimize exposure to these materials is ensuring that an area is properly ventilated every time. Since VOC amounts are more prevalent indoor that outdoor, getting a good amount of fresh air in the park or by the sea would be an excellent way to avoid inhalation of VOC as much as possible.