Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Volatile organic compounds are compounds that have a high vapor pressure
and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are
used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants.
VOCs typically are industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene; fuel
oxygenates, such as methyl tert-butyl
ether (MTBE); or by-products produced by chlorination in water treatment,
such as chloroform. VOCs are often components of petroleum fuels, hydraulic
fluids, paint thinners, and dry cleaning agents. VOCs are common ground-water
contaminants.
VOC Related Headlines
Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)
Chlorinated Solvents
Toxics Program Research on VOCs
Toxics Program Remediation of VOC-Related
Activities
Hydrocarbons and Fuel Oxygenates
- Biodegradation of Charcoal
Production Wastes, Kingsford, Michigan
- Cold-Temperature Biodegradation of Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Ground Water, Almena Agricenter Site, Almena, Kansas
- Oil Recovery Performance
Monitoring, Bemidji, MN
- Oxygen-Release Compound
Remediation Tests, Laurel Bay, SC
- Quanitfying Natural
Attenuation at the Plume Scale, Galloway Township, NJ
- Using Phytoremediation to Control Fuel Oxygenate Plumes in Northern Climates, Flathead Indian Reservation, Ronan, Montana
- Vapor
Extraction Optimization, Galloway Township, NJ
Chlorinated Solvents
- Can Trees Clean Up Ground
Water? Phytoremediation of Trichloroethene-Contaminated Ground Water,
Air Force Plant 4, Fort Worth, Texas
- Chlorinated Benzene Plume
Source Area Containment Test (Oxygen-Release Compound Injection),
Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL
- Phytoremediation in
the Desert?, Amargosa Desert Research Site, NV
- Quantifying Subsurface
Biodegredation, Norman Municipal Landfill, Norman, OK
- Solvent Plume Source
Removal Test (Fenton's Reagent), Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay,
GA
- Subsurface Reactive
Barrier, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Cape Cod, MA
USGS Information on VOCs
References
- Rathbun, R.E., 1998, Transport, behavior, and fate of volatile organic compounds in streams: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1589, 151 p.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Emission Inventory Reporting Requirements, Definitions, 40 CFR 51.100.s (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's regulatory definition of volatile organic compounds in the Federal Code of Regulations (CFR), available at GPOAccess.gov
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Volatile organic compounds (VOC), Substance Registry System, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (html document)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Volatile organic compounds (VOC), Terminology Reference System, U.S. Envirionmental Protection Agency (html document)
- U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Water Resources Data - Definition of Terms: U.S. Geological Survey (pdf document)
- Zogorski, J.S., Carter, J.M., Ivahnenko, Tamara, Lapham, W.W., Moran, M.J., Rowe, B.L., Squillace, P.J., and Toccalino, P.L., 2006, The Quality of Our Nation’s Waters--Volatile Organic Compounds in the Nation’s Ground Water and Drinking-Water Supply Wells: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1292, p. 101.
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