Volatile Organic Compounds in Buildings

Paints currently used for indoor application are now almost exclusively waterborne. Most of these fall into the following categories AO 

2- Butyloctanol Carbon monoxide Chloroform Cyclohexane Dichlorobenzenes 

4- Methyl-2-pentanone Methacrylic acid Methylene chloride Naphthalene /3-Nonane /3-Octane 

Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Trichloroethylene Vinyl acetate Xylenes 

In addition to water, these paints contain biocides, surfactants, pigments, monomers, coalescing solvents, driers, and volatile additives. 3,121 Volatile components contained in these include aldehydes, aliphatic hydrocarbons (straight chain and cyclic), aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, ethers, glycol ethers, glycol ether esters, and halogenated hydrocarbons. Some of these materials are listed in Table 12.4. 

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Meininghaus, R., Gunnarsen, L. and Knudsen, H.N. (2000) Diffusion and sorption of volatile organic compounds in building materials-impact on indoor air quality. Environmental Science and Technology, 34, 3101-8. 

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