Indoor, ambient and workplace air — Sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds by sorbent tube/thermal desorption/capillary gas chromatography — Part 1: Pumped sampling

This part of ISO 16017 gives general guidance for the sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

in air. It is applicable to ambient, indoor and workplace atmospheres and the assessment of emissions from

materials in small- or full-scale test chambers.

This part of ISO 16017 is appropriate for a wide range of VOCs, including hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons,

esters, glycol ethers, ketones and alcohols. A number of sorbents 1) are recommended for the sampling of

these VOCs, each sorbent having a different range of applicability. Very polar compounds will generally require

derivatization, very low boiling compounds will only be partially retained by the sorbents, depending on ambient

temperature, and can only be estimated qualitatively. Semi-volatile compounds will be fully retained by the

sorbents, but may only be partially recovered. Compounds for which this part of ISO 16017 has been tested are

given in tables. This part of ISO 16017 may be applicable to compounds not listed, but in these cases it is

advisable to use a back-up tube containing the same or a stronger sorbent.

This part of ISO 16017 is applicable to the measurement of airborne vapours