Other names
In organic chemistry and the automobile industry, the term hydrocarbons, or HC, is also used for volatile organic carbons
Properties
- a multitude of organic substances with a vapour pressure of at least 0.1 mbar at 20°C or a maximum boiling point of 240°C at 1013.25 mbar.
Main sources
- motorised road transport (incomplete combustion, evaporation of fuels)
- industry and commerce (evaporation of solvents)
Thresholds for the reporting requirement of facilities in accordance with Annex 2 PRTRO
(Ordinance on the Register relating to Pollutant Release and the Transfer of Waste and of Pollutants in Waste Water)
- Air 100,000 kg/year
- Water -
- Soil -
Impacts
- carcinogenic (individual substances such as benzene)
- not toxic to highly toxic compounds
- significant contribution to the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer (halogenated VOCs, especially fully halogenated VOCs such as CFCs -11, -12, -113, carbon tetrachloride)
- VOCs with nitrogen oxides: important precursors to the formation of photochemical oxidants such as ozone
- contributes to the greenhouse gas effect
Measures
- introduction of catalytic converters
- exhaust air cleaning facilities in industry and commerce
- incentive fee
Status and changes
Air pollution levels of volatile organic compounds have decreased by about 75% since 1980. The measures taken to date are insufficient to reach the air pollution targets (ambient limit values of ozone).
