ISO/TC 35/SC 16/WG 1 - Volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds

This document specifies a method for the gas-chromatographic determination of the qualitative and quantitative composition of solvents contained in a product. The method is applicable to coating materials containing solely organic solvents (generally called conventional coating materials) and binder solutions and non-aqueous dispersions containing solely organic solvents. The method defined in this document is not applicable for determination of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) content. NOTE For determination of VOC and SVOC, see ISO 11890-2.

This document is applicable for the determination of VOC and SVOC with an expected VOC and/or SVOC content greater than 0,01 % by mass up to 100 % by mass. The method given in ISO 11890-1 is used when the VOC is greater than 15 % by mass. This document (method ISO 11890-2) applies when the system contains VOC and SVOC as the VOC result of ISO 11890-1 can be influenced by the SVOC. For VOC content smaller than 0,1 %, the head space method described in ISO 17895 is used as an alternative. ISO 11890-1 and ISO 17895 cannot be used for the determination of the SVOC content. NOTE 1 Some ingredients of coating materials and their raw materials can decompose during analysis and cause artificial VOC and/or SVOC signals. When determining VOC and/or SVOC for coating materials and their raw materials, these signals are artefacts of the method and are not taken into account (examples are given in Annex B). This method assumes that the volatile matter is either water or organic. However, other volatile inorganic compounds can be present and might need to be quantified by another suitable method and allowed for in the calculations. The method defined in this document is not applicable for determination of water content. NOTE 2 If organic acids or bases and their corresponding salts are present in the coating material or its raw materials, the amount that is quantified by this method might not be accurate due to a change in the acid or base equilibrium.

ISO 11890-1:2007 is one of a series of standards dealing with the sampling and testing of paints, varnishes and related products. It specifies a method for the determination of the volatile organic compound (VOC) content of paints, varnishes and their raw materials. This part may be used where the expected VOC content is greater than 15 % by mass. When the expected VOC content is greater than 0,1 % by mass and less than 15 % by mass, ISO 11890-2 should be employed. This method assumes that the volatile matter is either water or organic. However, other volatile inorganic compounds can be present and might need to be quantified by another suitable method and allowed for in the calculations.

ISO 17895:2005 specifies a gas-chromatographic method of quantitatively determining the volatile organic compound (VOC) content (i.e. the content of organic compounds with boiling points up to 250 °C) under standard conditions (101,325 kPa) of low VOC content emulsion paints (in-can VOC). The method is applicable to VOC contents between 0,01 % and 0,1 % (by mass). The main purpose of the method is to qualify low-VOC emulsion paints, not routine quality control.