Dangers of VOCs and How to Eliminate Them in Buildings

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), “volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are compounds that easily become vapors or gases.”

VOCs are common indoors where ventilation is poor. Household items that produce VOCs include solvents, paints and thinners, cleaners and disinfectants, air fresheners, copy machines and printers, and much more. 

When inhaled, VOCs damage the respiratory system, which can lead to an oxygen deficit in the body. Not only are there direct effects on the lungs, but without enough oxygen reaching the body’s vital organs, other severe issues can arise. Even short-term exposure leads to respiratory problems, but with long-term exposure to VOCs, the health effects can even include neurological problems and even cancer. 

Not all people are equally susceptible to VOCs, with those who suffer from asthma or other respiratory complications being more sensitive to their effects. 

Although indoor air quality (IAQ) is often forgotten about because it is invisible to the eye, it is important that buildings are equipped with the proper technology to eliminate VOCs. This is where our ISO-Aire HEPA air purification unit comes in. Equipped with the proven technology of ozone-free bipolar ionization, as air passes through our ISO-Aire™ unit, harmful VOCs are broken down and recombined into harmless molecules found in the air like oxygen. 

But we do not stop at ozone-free bipolar ionization to help keep the air inside safe. Check out how we include powerful HEPA filters and ultraviolet-C (UVC) germicidal light in our ISO-Aire™ unit to maximize the ability of the HVAC system to keep the air clean for all inside.