scope:

This part of ISO 16000 specifies a method for determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air and in air sampled for the determination of the emission of VOCs from building products or materials and other products used in indoor environments using test chambers and test cells. The method uses Tenax TA^®1) sorbent with subsequent thermal desorption (TD) and gas chromatographic (GC) analysis employing a capillary column or columns and a flame ionization detector (FID) and/or a mass spectrometric (MS) detector.

The method is applicable to the measurement of non-polar and slightly polar VOCs at concentrations ranging from sub-micrograms per cubic metre to several milligrams per cubic metre. Using the principles specified in this method, some very volatile compounds (VVOC) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) can also be analysed.

1) Tenax TA^® is the trade name of a product supplied by Buchem. This information is given for the convenience of users of this document and does not constitute an endorsement by ISO of the product named. Equivalent products may be used if they can be shown to lead to the same results.